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Grilled coconut chutney തേങ്ങ ചുട്ട ചമ്മന്തി

Grilled coconut chutney തേങ്ങ ചുട്ട ചമ്മന്തി

1. വറ്റൽ മുളക്  - 3 എണ്ണം
2. തേങ്ങ - അര മുറി
3. ചുവന്നുള്ളി - 3  എണ്ണം
4. പുളി - അല്പം
5. ഉപ്പ്  - പാകത്തിന്

പാകം ചെയ്യുന്ന വിധം

• ഉണക്കതേങ്ങയും  മുളകും കനലിൽ ചുട്ടെടുക്കുക. 
• ചുട്ട തേങ്ങ കഷണങ്ങളാക്കി എടുക്കുക . 
• മുളക്, തേങ്ങ,പുളി ,ഉള്ളി ,ഉപ്പു  എന്നിവ അരച്ചെടുത്ത്  നന്നായി  യോജിപ്പിച്ചെടുക്കുക.

GARLIC MUSHROOMS ROASTED

• 16 even-sized open cup mushrooms, stalks cut level
• 3 tbsp corn or vegetable oil
• 75g unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped very finely
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme,( ayamothakam/ omam) chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 50g fresh breadcrumbs

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.  Lightly fry the mushrooms, cap-side down, in hot oil for 20 seconds.

Arrange the mushrooms in a shallow roasting tin with the stalks facing upwards.

Mix together the butter, garlic, thyme, lemon juice and seasoning. Spoon a little garlic butter on to each mushroom, then lightly press the breadcrumbs on top. Either refrigerate for later use, or cook immediately in the oven for 10 minutes.

Cherupayar Thoran

Ingredients

• Cherupayar (whole moong beans/green gram) – ¾ cup  [ soak  this in 3 cups  water overnight ]
• Water – 2.5 cups
• Coconut – ½ cup
• Small onion/shallots – 3,sliced
• Chopped garlic – ½ tsp
• Green chilli – 3, chopped
• Pepper powder – ¼ tsp
• Cumin (jeera) – a pinch (optional)
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• Oil – I used coconut oil

Instructions

1. drain the water in which the gram soaked. cook in a pressure cooker with 2.5 cups water.  I cooked it for 4 whistles on high flame . Switch off the flame and keep it closed till the pressure drops, 10-15 mins. Open the cooker and drain the excess water.
2. Combine coconut, sliced small onion, chopped garlic and green chilli, pepper powder, cumin (if using), turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt in a bowl. Mix it well using your finger tips .
3. Heat oil in a wide pan and crackle the mustard seeds. Add the coconut mixture and cook for 2-3 mins. Add cooked cherupayar and mix well. You can add 2 tbsp hot water, just to make sure the payar and coconut mixture is well combined. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins on low flame. Switch off the gas and serve hot with Rice or Kanji.

Chicken Kurma

Ingredients

Chicken – 1 Kg
Onion, finely sliced – 3
Garlic-ginger paste – 3 table spoon
Green chilly – 5
Cinnamon – 1 piece
Clove – 4
Cardamom – 5
Black Pepper powder – 2 table spoon
Coriander powder – 2 table spoon
Potato – 2 (cut into pieces)
Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
Cashew nut – 20 (soaked and ground)
Curds – 2 table spoon
Oil – 2 Table spoon
Salt, coriander leaves, curry leaves – enough

Method

Pour oil in pressure cooker and fry cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Then add ginger-garlic paste and crushed green chilly. Add onion and after it is fried. add coriander powder, pepper powder and salt. Add curry leaves. Add chicken and potato. Close the lid and cook. Wait for three whistle and put out the fire. After it is cooked well, add the curd, cashew paste and coconut milk and bring to boil. Add coriander leaves.

Spiced, Aromatic Prawn/Shrimp Roast

Ingredients

Serves 4

500g prawns or shrimps, peeled and deveined

3 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 green chili, slit

1 inch fresh ginger piece

5 sprig curry leaves, divided

Salt, to taste

2 cups water, plus extra for grinding

2 tablespoon oil, or more (use coconut oil for authentic taste)

Directions

Grind ginger, green chili, 2 sprig curry leaves, turmeric powder and chili powder to a smooth paste, adding a small amount of water. 

In a heavy-based pan, combine the masala paste with the water and place over medium-low heat. Tip in the prawns and season. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until prawns are tender. Then increase the heat and boil the liquid until thick and reduced, stirring often. When most of the liquid has been absorbed and the prawns are coated with the marinade, drizzle generously with oil. Taste and season, if needed. Add remaining curry leaves — or as much as you like — and cook over very low heat for a few more minutes. Ah, at this stage, don't forget to enjoy the smell of the roasting prawns wafting through the kitchen, whetting your appetite! And, take care not to scorch the marinade. Remove from heat when the prawns start to crisp and turn golden brown. Serve warm with steamed rice.

Spiced Eggplant Fry — Vazhuthananga Porichathu

Spiced Eggplant Fry — Vazhuthananga Porichathu

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants (brinjal), thinly sliced

10 dry red chilies

1 tablespoon peppercorns

3 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 chicken stock cube (I used Knorr)

2 sprigs fresh curry leaves

Oil for shallow frying

Directions

Rub the eggplant slices with salt and rinse well. Eggplants tend to be bitter and soggy and salting helps drain the bitter juices and also makes the vegetable less permeable before frying.

In a blender, process the chilies, peppercorns, garlic cloves, vinegar and curry leaves to a fine paste. Crumble the stock cube and mix well with the paste. Remember that the stock is well seasoned, so don’t add any extra salt. Tip onto a shallow plate, add the eggplant slices and coat both sides with this mixture. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Place the marinated slices in a single layer in the fat and leave for 5-6 minutes to start to crisp. Be careful not to let it burn. Turn over the other side and repeat until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with steamed rice. 

Fried Sardine — Mathi Varuthathu

Ingredients

5 sardines, scaled and gutted

2 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoon peppercorns

2 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon oil, plus extra for shallow frying

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

2 sprig curry leaves

salt, to taste

Directions

Working with one sardine at a time, cut off heads and tails, and rinse them in fresh lemon juice and water. Make horizontal gashes on both sides; set aside.

Crush peppercorns to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or blender. Then add chili powder, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, vinegar, 1 teaspoon oil and a bit of water. Blend to make a thick paste. Season.

Marinate fish in this mixture, massaging some of the marinade into the cavity of each fish. Let sit, at room temperature, for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to set in.

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add the whole sprig of curry leaves and then place the fish. Shallow fry for about 2 minutes each side or until cooked and browned. Adjust the cooking time to how you prefer them. If, like me, you like the idea of enjoying crispy sardines, fry a bit more. Take care not to overcook as the fish dries out quickly losing its delicate flavor. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Pavakka Mulakittadu — Sour and Spicy Bitter Melon Curry 

Ingredients

Serves 4-5

Prep+cooking: 40 min

3 cups bitter gourd, finely sliced

2 medium red onions, halved and finely sliced

2 medium tomatoes, diced small

3-4 green chilies, slit lengthwise

15 curry leaves, torn, plus extra sprig for tempering

2 ½ to 3 tablespoons tamarind paste, or to taste

3 ¾ cups water, divided

2 ½ teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

salt, to taste

1 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

2 dry red chilies, broken

Directions

To prep the melon, trim the ends off and halve each lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and spongy insides; discard. Cut the halved melons into thin slices.

Meanwhile, dissolve tamarind pate in ¾ cup warm water; set aside.

Put bitter melon, onion, tomato, green chili, curry leaf, tamarind water, remaining water and salt in a medium pot (I prefer cooking in a clay pot). Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Then tip in ground chili and turmeric and cook until vegetables soften, and liquid reduces to a thick sauce, about 25-30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Finally, heat oil in a small skillet until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and cook until fragrant and sizzling, about 10 seconds. Then stir in broken dry red chilies and curry leaves; quickly remove from heat. Pour the spice-infused oil over the curry, stir, and serve warm scooped up with plain rice.

Dry Red Chili Chutney — Mulaku Chammanthi

Ingredients

10 dry red chilies

5 small shallots

½ - ¾ teaspoon tamarind soaked in2-3 tablespoon water

Salt, to taste

2 teaspoon oil, preferably coconut, plus a bit more for roasting

Directions

Wipe a small nonstick frying pan with a bit of oil and roast chilies for 2-3 minutes until crispy, dark brown and fragrant. Take care not to burn chilies. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. 

Using an electric spice or coffee grinder, grind roasted chilies and shallots to a coarse paste, without adding water. Scrape the ground mixture into a bowl and mix well with tamarindpulp,  and oil. Season to taste. Allow to stand for 10 minutes for the flavors to set in. Adjust seasoning, if needed.

Serve it as a relish with steamed rice and curd. This chutney also goes well with traditional combinations like boiled tapioca (kappa), as well as rice gruel (kanji).

Fragrant Ghee Rice — Neychoru

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice

4 ½ cups hot water

2 tablespoon ghee (or butter) and 2 tablespoon oil, combined

6 cardamom pods, slightly crushed

4 x 1 ½ -inch cinnamon sticks

1 bay leaf

6 cloves

1 onion, halved and finely sliced

2 large mint leaves

salt, to taste

For garnish

2 tablespoon ghee

¼ cup cashew nuts

¼ cup sultanas (golden raisin)

1 onion, halved and finely sliced

Directions

Rinse the rice in several changes of water to remove the excess starch. Soak in cold water for a minimum of 20 minutes; drain.

Melt the butter-oil mixture in a large saucepan over medium heat. Don't overheat as the spices and onion may scorch in the fat and the rice will lose its whiteness. Add spices to saucepan; cook and stir about 30 seconds or until aromatic. Throw in onions and cook, stirring gently, until soft and transparent but not browned, about 10 minutes. Then stir in rice and gently toss for 2-3 minutes or until the edges turn translucent. Add water, mint leaves and salt; bring to boil. (Remember that water should taste a bit salty than normal). Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 12 minutes until rice is done and studded with steam holes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Then remove lid, let rice sit for 3 minutes to lose the wet texture and dry up. Gently fluff grains with a fork and remove and discard the bay leaf and mint leaves.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoon ghee over medium-low heat. Gently stir-fry the sultanas until they plum up; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add cashews; cook and stir until golden brown. Remove cashews with a slotted spoon, set aside. Now add the onions and stir-fry until they turn crisp and golden brown, taking care not to burn them. Feel free to add extra fat to speed up the frying. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Reserve a few for garnish and mix the rest of the cashews and raisins with the rice. Serve hot topped with the fried onions, cashew and raisins. Kerala pappadams (crispy thin Indian flat bread), kachumber (raita) or ulli surka (onion and tomato relish), meat curry and parippu curry (lentil curry) are perfect complements to the ghee rice. Enjoy!

Onion and Tomato Relish — Ulli Surka

Ingredients

1 medium red onion, finely sliced

½  medium tomato, finely sliced

1-2 small green chilies, sliced

3 tablespoon vinegar

4 tablespoon water

salt, to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients with your fingers, crushing the chilies as you do. Chill for an hour or two until the color of the onion runs into the vinegar mixture.

Yogurt Dish with Chopped Vegetables 

Ingredients

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

¼ red onion, diced

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1 medium green chili, sliced

2 cups plain yogurt

salt, to taste

pinch red chili powder, for garnish

Directions

Whisk the yogurt and salt together until smooth, and then thrown in the diced vegetables and mix well. Scrape into a serving bowl and chill for 1 hour before serving. Serve sprinkled with a pinch of chili powder, if you like.

Red Fish Curry — Meen Vevichathu

Ingredients

Serves 4

450g fish, cleaned, sliced or cut into chunks (I used seer or kingfish known as aiyakoora or neymeen in Malayalam)

2 tablespoons oil, divided (preferably coconut oil)

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

¼ cup sliced shallots

2 sprigs curry leaves, plus few extra leaves for tempering

1 medium tomato

2 small green chilies

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

½ teaspoon fenugreek powder

3 ½—4 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder 

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

4 pieces kodampuli, rinsed

1 cup water

salt, to taste

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

Directions

In a manchatti or clay pot, heat 1 ½ tablespoon oil over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add fenugreek and cook until the seeds crackle, about 15 seconds. Add shallots and curry leaves, and gently fry until shallots are tender, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend tomatoes, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, fenugreek powder, chili powder and turmeric to a smooth paste in a grinder or food processor.

When the shallots are tender, add the paste, kodampuli, enough salt to taste, water, and bring everything to boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Gently tip in fish, stirring to coat the pieces in the sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily, and the gravy is thickened and reduced to your taste. Gently swirl or shake the pot to mix the flavors, taking care not to break the fish pieces. Adjust seasoning as needed; remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the remaining oil (½ tablespoon) until shimmering. Tip in mustard seeds and cook until they crackle, about 10 seconds. Add the remaining curry leaves, and remove from heat. This cooking technique is called tarkha or tempering. Now quickly fold the toasted ingredients into the hot curry.

Serve hot with steamed rice and yoghurt on the side.

Ghee Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice (long grain rice)

1 medium Onion, finely chopped

1 small Cinnamon stick

2-3 Cloves (lavang)

1 Green Cardamom

1/2 teaspoon Black Peppercorns

1 small Bay Leaf

4-5 Cashew Nuts

3-4 Raisins

1 teaspoon crushed Ginger-Garlic

1 Green chilli, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Ghee (Clarified butter)

2 cups Water

Salt

Directions:

1. Wash rice grains 2-3 times in water to remove excess starch. Soak them for 20 minutes. Washing them will also prevent them from becoming sticky while cooking. After 20 minutes, drain soaked rice.
2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker (approx.3-5 liter capacity steel/aluminum cooker). Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black peppercorns and a piece of bay leaf and sauté for few seconds.
3. Add chopped onion and sauté until it turns light brown.
4. Add cashew nuts, raisins, crushed ginger-garlic and chopped green chillies and sauté low flame for a minute.
5. Add drained rice in pressure cooker and stir-fry for a minute.
6. Add salt to taste and 2 cups water. Mix them properly and close the lid. Pressure cook on low flame for 2 whistles.
7. Turn off the flame and let pressure come down naturally. It will take approx. 5-8 minutes to come down. Open lid carefully and fluff rice with fork to separate rice grain.
8. Transfer it to serving bowl and serve.

KOOTTU CURRY

Ingredients

1. Brown chickpeas-cooked-1/2 cup( see notes)
2. Raw plantain / kaya-peeled and cubed-1/2 cup
3. Elephant yam /chena-cubed-1/2 cup( see note)
4. Kashmiri chili powder-1/4 tsp
5. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
6. Grated coconut-1/3 cup
7. Salt to taste
8. Water- as required

To grind

1. Grated coconut-1/2 cup
2. Garlic - 2 small cloves
3. Green chilies- 1 or 2 nos( or to taste)
4. Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
5. Black pepper powder-1/4 tsp ( or to taste)

For tempering

1. Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
2. Dried red chilli- 2 nos
3. Curry leaves- few
4. Oil

Method

• Grind together all the ingredients listed under ' to grid ' to form a coarse paste.Keep aside.
• Dry roast 1/3 cup grated coconut over medium flame,stirring continuously until it turns brown.Keep aside.
• In a pan,combine together cubed plantain, elephant yam ,chili powder,turmeric powder and  water.Cook until it is tender and water is almost absorbed.Add cooked chickpeas ,prepared coconut paste and salt .Mix well and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.Remove from heat.
• Add the roasted coconut and mix well.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,let it splutter.Add red chilies and curry leaves,fry for few seconds and pour it over the curry.
• Serve with rice.

Note: Soak a little more than  1/4 cup of  brown chickpeas overnight or for at least 8 hrs.Pressure  cook adding salt to taste, until done.
You can completely avoid elephant yam and use 1 cup raw plantain instead,if desired.

Gobi Manchurian Dry Recipe 

Manchurian made from gobi (cauliflower) is one of the best starters you can have in any party. Among dry and with gravy variants of it, dry one is widely preferred due to its versatility as a snack that can be served as a starter or as an accompaniment for dinner. There are two parts for making dry manchurian with gobi 1) make florets and 2) make spicy sauté. Learn how to make restaurant like delicious phool gobi manchurian dry with this easy step by step photos recipe.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:

For Florets

1/2 cup Corn Flour

5 tablespoons Maida (all purpose flour)

1 medium size Cauliflower (Phool Gobi), broken into medium size florets

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Paste

1/2 teaspoon Ginger Paste

Oil, for deep frying

Salt

1/2 cup Water

For Sauté

1½ teaspoons Garlic Paste

2 teaspoons Ginger Paste

2 Green Chillies, finely chopped

1 large Onion, finely chopped

1 small Green Capsicum, finely chopped

1½ tablespoons Soy Sauce

1/2 tablespoon Chilli Sauce

2 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup

2 tablespoons Cooking Oil

2 tablespoons Spring Onion, finely chopped

Salt

Directions for Florets:

1. Boil cauliflower florets in salted water over medium flame for 3-4 minutes. After boiling, drain excess water and pat dry florets on tissue paper.
2. Mix maida, corn flour, 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste, 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste, 1/2 cup water and salt in a bowl to make a batter. Make sure that batter is not too thick or not too thin. Its thickness should be similar to thickness of dosa batter. Add all florets in batter and mix well. For perfect manchurian, batter should coat florets evenly.
3. Heat oil in kadai (frying pan) over medium flame. Carefully drop or slide 6 to 8 florets in oil and deep fry over medium flame until they turn golden brown. Drain and transfer deep fried florets over paper napkin to a plate. Deep fry remaining florets.

Directions for Sauté:

1. Heat 2-tablespoons oil in a wide, thin-bottomed pan or wok on medium flame. Add 2 teaspoons ginger paste, 1½ teaspoons garlic paste, chopped green chillies, chopped capsicum and chopped onion.
2. Sauté them on high flame for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add soy sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and salt.
4. Stir continuous and cook for a minute
5. Add deep fried florets.
6. Toss and mix deep fried florets with other ingredients in pan for 1-2 minutes keeping flame on high. (Tossing everything on high heat in wok or pan is must for making best Chinese gobi manchurian dry.)
7. Transfer it to a plate and garnish with spring onion. Serve it hot with tomato ketchup and chilli sauce.

Tips and Variations:

• Do not keep deep fried florets idle for long time otherwise they will turn soft and you will not get the crunchy taste.
• Serve this dish immediately to get crispy taste of florets.
• Dry manchurian of gobi gets its primary taste from chilli sauce and soy sauce. You can adjust the quantity of these two sauces to get a desired flavor.
• To clean cauliflower florets, soak them in hot salted water for 15 minutes.
• Do not try to deep fry all florets in a single go, as they may not cook evenly.
• If you like crispy dry cauliflower manchurian, then deep fry batter coated florets for little longer than suggested time in this recipe.

Taste: Dry and spicy

Serving Ideas: Serve it as a starter or appetizer or as an accompaniment with   fried rice.

Soya Chunks Pulao (Soya Rice) Recipe

Soya beans needs no introduction as there is no other legume which packs more protein than it does. While there are many ways to gorge onto its proteins, the best one is to use soya chunks which are protein rich, easy to cook and has a great taste neutrality which means it can be combined with any food to make it protein rich without affecting its taste. In this soya bean pulao recipe, nutritious soya granules and rice are sauteed in ghee with fresh vegetables and spices and then cooked like a normal pulao making it a well balanced meal in itself.

Preparation Time:  15 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 3 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Long Grained Rice (basmati rice)

1/2 cup Soya Chunks (dried)

1/4 cup finely chopped Carrots

1/4 cup Green Peas (fresh or frozen)

1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1 small piece of Bay Leaf

2-3 Black Peppercorns

1 small piece of Cinnamon Stick

2-3 Cloves

1 medium Onion, thinly sliced

1 Green Chilli, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder, optional

1¼ cups Water

Salt

1 tablespoons Oil or Ghee

2 tablespoons finely chopped Coriander Leaves, for garnishing

Directions:

1. Rinse and soak rice in water for 15-20 minutes.
2. Rinse and soak soya chunks in hot water for 15-minutes.
3. After 15-minutes, chunks will increase to almost double in size. Drain excess water and again rinse them 2-3 times in water to remove raw smell.
4. Heat oil or ghee in a non-stick pan (with lid) over medium flame. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, black peppercorns, cinnamon and cloves and allow cumin seeds to sizzle. Add sliced onion and green chilli and sauté until onion turns transparent.
5. Add chopped carrot and green peas and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
6. Drain the excess water from soaked rice and add them in the pan. Add drained soya chunks and turmeric powder. Mix everything well and sauté for couple of minutes over medium flame.
7. Add 1¼ cups water and salt to taste; bring it to boil over medium flame.
8. When it starts to boil, reduce flame to low and cook covered (cover pan with a lid) for about 10-minutes. Do not open the lid in between as steam will escape and rice will not cook properly and become sticky.
9. After 10-minutes, turn off flame and keep it over hot stove-top for at least 7-8 minutes. Now, remove the lid and fluff the cooked rice with fork.
10. Soya bean pulao with vegetables is ready. Transfer it into a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Tips and Variations:

• You can also cook pulao in a pressure cooker instead of cooking in a pan. Follow the same method, same amount of ingredients and cook in a 3-liter capacity aluminum/steel pressure cooker for 3-whistles over medium flame.
• Do not add turmeric powder if you want to make a white colored soya rice.
• If you are preparing this recipe for kids then do not add green chilli and black peppercorns. Give this in your kid’s lunchbox as a stomach filing and healthy dish.

Taste:  Mild spicy

Serving Ideas:  Serve it with cucumber raita or plain yogurt or as an alternative of steamed rice with meal.

Vegetable Pulao Recipe 

Vegetable Pulao (Veg Pulav) is a spicy rice dish prepared by cooking rice with various vegetables and spices. In this recipe, assortment of spices, veggies and rice are first sautéed in oil and ghee and then cooked in pressure cooker as you would cook plain rice. However, the uniqueness of this easy mixed vegetable pulao recipe lies in use of bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves which provides nice and complex 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Basmati Rice (long grained rice)

1 medium Onion, finely chopped

1 small Tomato, finely chopped

1/4 cup Green Peas (mutter), fresh or frozen

3 tablespoons finely chopped French Beans

1/4 cup finely chopped Carrot

1 small piece of Bay Leaf

1-inch piece of Cinnamon

2 Cloves

1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder

1/8 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

2 tablespoons finely chopped Coriander Leaves

2 tablespoons Oil

1 teaspoon Ghee

1 cup Water

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Wash rice and soak it in water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and keep aside until needed.
2. Heat ghee and oil together in a pressure cooker (2-liter capacity, stainless steel cooker) on low flame. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add onion and sauté until it turns light brown or for approx. 2 minutes.
3. Add chopped tomato, green peas, french beans and carrot.
4. Stir-fry them for approx. 2 minutes.
5. Add soaked (drained) rice, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.
6. Stir-fry them for approx. 2 minutes.
7. Add 1 cup water and mix well.
8. Close the lid and cook over medium flame for 2 whistles. When 1st whistle is completed, reduce the flame to low and cook until another whistle. Turn off flame.
9. Let it cool at room temperature until pressure inside cooker comes down naturally. Open the lid carefully and fluff the rice wit a fork.
10. Transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Tips and Variations:

• We have used 2 liter capacity stainless steel cooker in this recipe. However, you can use larger size of cooker as well but you need to determine how many whistles and what flame intensity will be required to cook it properly. If you are using pressure cooker made of aluminum then cook it for 2 whistles on medium flame.
• You can prepare it in large quantity in larger pressure cooker. Just use rice and water in 1:2 ratios. i.e. for every one cup rice two cups water should be added.
• You can also prepare equally delicious mixed vegetable rice pulao in a pan with a lid. Use same amount of ingredients as mentioned in this recipe, cover pan with a lid and cook it on low flame for 8-10 minutes. Do not open the lid in between while cooking. After turning off the flame, open the lid after 7-8 minutes. However, cooking in a pan may require more water as steam will escape easily, hence add 1/4 cup more water for given recipe.

Garlic Rasam Recipe

This Andhra style rasam is like a big daddy of all rasams you have ever tasted – spicy to its core and loaded with flavors of garlic, tamarind and various other spices. As with all its siblings, garlic rasam is best enjoyed when served with a steamed rice, papad, poriyal and a delicious chutney. Try it during a winter and see how your body heats up from inside! This spicy South Indian fare is also known as Poondu Rasam in Tamilnadu.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients:

8-10 Garlic Cloves, crushed

1/2 tablespoon Tamarind

1-2 Dry Red Chillies (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon Black Peppercorns

1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds

1/2 teaspoon Chana Dal

1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

3-4 Curry Leaves

1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon Oil

Salt to taste

For Tempering:

1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

5-6 Curry Leaves

1 teaspoon Ghee

Directions:

1. Soak tamarind in 1-cup warm water for 5-10 minutes. Mash it with your hand and strain it through a sieve, collect the tamarind juice in small bowl and keep aside until called for use. Discard the remaining solids.
2. Heat 1-teaspoon oil in a small pan over low flame. Add dry red chilies, black peppercorns, coriander seeds and chana dal. Roast them until nice aroma starts to come, approx 2 minutes.
3. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Transfer to grinder jar, add cumin seeds, 3-4 curry leaves and 1-2 tablespoons water. Grind into medium coarse paste.
4. Heat remaining 1-teaspoon oil in the same pan over low flame for sauteing and saute crushed garlic cloves in it until golden brown. Transfer them to a plate.
5. Take tamarind juice (extracted in step-1) and 1½-cups water in another large pan, add salt to taste and bring it to boil over medium flame. When it starts to boil, reduce flame to low and cook for 7-8 minutes or until raw smell of tamarind goes away.
6. Add sautéed garlic cloves (prepared in step-4), ground paste (prepared in step-3) and 1-cup water; mix well, cook for 2-3 minutes and take it away from flame/cook-top.
7. Heat ghee in the small pan over low flame for tempering. Add mustard seeds and allow them to sizzle. Add 5-6 curry leaves and sauté for 10-15 seconds. Turn off flame and pour it over prepared rasam. Mix and transfer to serving bowl.
8. Hot and spicy garlic rasam is now ready to tantalize your taste buds.

Tips and Variations:

• Add 1-tomato (finely chopped) in step-3 along with other ingredients in grinding jar and reduce tamarind quantity to 1/4-tablespoon (in step-1) to make tomato-garlic rasam.
• Garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves.
• Make sure that spices do not turn dark brown while roasting them in step-2.

Taste: Spicy

Serving Ideas:  Serve it hot with steamed rice and papad.

Aloo Paratha Recipe

Aloo Paratha is a delicious shallow fried Indian stuffed bread popular among all generations of people across length and breadth of India. Contrary to popular belief, Punjabi aloo paratha can be easily prepared at home as this recipe uses ingredients that are found in every Indian kitchen. Plus, the detailed instructions with step by step photos will make it a breeze to cook like an expert.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2 servings (6 paratha)

Ingredients:

1 cup + 1/2 cup Wheat Flour

2 medium Potatoes, boiled and peeled

4 tablespoons finely chopped Coriander Leaves

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Sugar

2 Green Chilli, finely chopped

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

1 teaspoon grated Ginger

Butter

2 tablespoons Oil

Salt

Water

Directions:

1. First prepare dough by taking 1 cup wheat flour, 1 teaspoon oil and salt in a small bowl. Incrementally add water in small quantities and knead smooth and soft dough (like chapati dough). Grease its surface with 1/2 teaspoon oil, cover it with clean muslin cloth and set aside for 15-20 minutes to settle at room temperature.
2. Now, prepare alu paratha stuffing by mixing mashed potatoes, chopped green chillies, red chilli powder, grated ginger, garam masala, sugar, lemon juice and salt in small/medium size bowl. Mix all ingredients properly.
3. Divide stuffing into 6 equal parts and give them a shape of ball. Divide prepared dough into 6 equal parts, give them a round shape and press a little to flatten like pattie.
4. Take one dough pattie and coat it with dry wheat flour on both sides. (It will prevent dough from sticking to rolling board). Put it on rolling board/roti making board (chakla) and roll it out into a circle of approx. 4-5 inch diameter using rolling pin. Put one portion of stuffing in the centre of it.
5. Wrap stuffing ball by lifting all sides of rolled circle towards top, seal the edges and again give it a round ball shape.
6. Gently press stuffed ball on rolling board and dust some dry flour over it.
7. Roll it out into circle of 6-7 inch diameter (like roti or chapati). Do not make it very thin by pressing it too much.
8. Place it on a hot tava/griddle and cook over medium flame. When tiny bubbles starts to rise on the surface, flip it and reduce flame to low.
9. Spread 1/2 teaspoon oil around its edge with the help of spatula and cook for approx 30-40 seconds.
10. Flip it again and spread 1/2 teaspoon oil around its edge. Press it with spatula and cook for 30-40 seconds over medium flame. Repeat flip and press process until golden brown spots appear on both sides of paratha. (No need to spread oil after doing it once in previous steps).
11. Transfer it to a plate and spread butter on it. Prepare remaining aloo parathas by following same process. Serve it with tomato raita and pickle.

Tips and Variations:

• Knead very smooth dough to roll them out easily. Use milk instead of water to knead dough for softer outer layer.
• Mash potatoes properly and weed out chunks, if any. This will help rolling them out smoothly.
• Avoid green chilli if you are preparing it for kids.
• Add mint leaves or crushed ginger-garlic in stuffing for spicier taste.
• Based on type of tawa/griddle you are using, you might have to adjust heat intensity while shallow frying.

spicy baby potatoes with garlic

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients:

12-14 Baby Potatoes (boiled)

12-15 cloves Garlic (lasun)

1 small Onion (finely chopped)

1-inch Ginger, chopped

3 Dry Kashmiri Red Chillies

1 medium Tomato, finely chopped

2 teaspoons Coriander Powder

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

1/2 teaspoon Dry red Chilli Powder

1/8 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Chaat masala

1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala

Salt

1 tablespoon + 4 tablespoons Oil

Coriander Leaves, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Soak dry red chillies in 2-tablespoons water for 10 minutes.
2. Boil baby potatoes until tender and peel its skin. (Consider adding salt while boiling potatoes, this will enhance its flavor.)
3. Grind garlic, ginger, soaked dry red chilli, tomato, coriander powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and salt together in a grinder and make a smooth tomato-garlic paste.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan. Shallow fry boiled potatoes for 2 minutes over medium flame.
5. Sprinkle chaat masala and garam masala over it and fry for 1 more minute. Turn off flame and transfer potatoes in a bowl.
6. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a same pan. Add finely chopped onion and sauté until light brown.
7. Add tomato-garlic paste and sauté on low flame until oil starts to separate or for approx. 4-5 minutes.
8. Add dry red chilli powder and mix well. Add shallow fried potatoes, stir and cook for 3 minutes.
9. Turn off flame and transfer prepared baby potatoes in a serving bowl. Lasaniya batata is ready. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips and Variations:

• Adjust garlic and dry red chilli quantity according to your palate’s capacity to handle spiciness. However, we believe that it should be enjoyed for its spiciness and its hotness should not be reduced.
• If you do not have baby potatoes, then take large normal potatoes, boil and cut them into small 1-inch cubes.
• Use Kashmiri red chillies to get nice red-hot color with less spiciness.
• Use more oil (6 tablespoons) if you are not worried about consuming too much fat while enjoying lasaniya aloo. It really improves the taste and texture.

Taste: Hot and spicy

Beetroot Pachadi

               Ingredients

• Beetroot - 1 large
• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Curd -1/2 cup
• Green Chilli - 5 nos
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Dry Red Chilly - 3 nos
• Curry leaves - 1 string

Method

Step 1

Peel the beetroot. Wash and cut it into small cubes. Cut the green chillies lengthwise.

Step 2

Take a pan add beetroot pieces, green chillies, salt and water. Cook for 10 minutes. Switch off the stove when the beetroot becomes soft.

Step 3

In a mixer grinder grind coconut with 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds. Add the grinded mixture and curd to the cooled beetroot.

Step 4

Heat a pan add coconut oil and splutter 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds, dry red chilly and curry leaves. Pour this over the Beetroot pachadi.

Step 5

Tasty beetroot pachadi is ready to be served with rice.

Dates Chutney Recipe – Eethapazham Chutney Recipe

Dates chutney reminds me about traditional marriage functions in Kerala!!! This side dish is part of traditional wedding party and taste awesome along with mutton biriyani and chicken fry. Try it!!!

Ingredients

• Sweet dates with seeds removed - 250 grams
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tbsp
• Ginger - 2 tbsp very finely chopped
• Curry leaves chopped - 10
• Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Water - 1/4 cup
• Tamarind pulp - 6 tbsp
• Sugar - 4 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

Step 1

First step is to soak the dates in 1/4 cup water for 15 minutes. Remove seed and chop very lightly in a chopper.

Step 2

Second step is to heat oil in a clay pot (Chatti in Malayalam language) splutter fenugreek seeds first and then mustard seeds.

Step 3

Then fry the ginger, curry leaves and green chilli. Once the ginger starts turning color to brown, add Kashmiri Chilli powder and sauté for a minute more or until the chilli powder turns dark red. color.

Step 4

Fourth step is to add chopped dates to above gravy and mix well.

Step 5

Fifth step is to add tamarind pulp, water and sugar. Mix well and add salt to taste.

Step 6

Last step is to allow the dates chutney to boil until extra water is evaporated and the chutney thickens. Dates chutney is served as a side dish with Biriyani and ghee rice.

Guava Pickle Recipe – Perakka Achar

Ingredients

• Guava – 2 (medium ripe)
• Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek powder – 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - 2 string
• Salt to taste
• Garlic - 1 tsp
• Vinegar - 1 tsp
• Sesame oil - 3 tbsp
• Green chilly - 2 (cut in to small pieces)

Method

Step 1

Clean and cut the guava into small cubes.

Step 2

Heat sesame oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add green chillies, curry leaves, red chilly powder, asafoetida powder, garlic, fenugreek powder and saute for 2 minutes.

Step 3

Once it is done, add guava and salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add vinegar and stir well to get mixed. Remove from fire and let it cool.

Step 4

The tasty guava pickle is ready to be served.

Step 5

Serve with rice.

Prawns Biriyani – Chemmeen Biriyani Recipe

Biryani means a dish where rice and a curry of meat or fish cooked separately, then brought together and layered. This gives the dish a contrast of flavored rice and intensely flavored meat or vegetables.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 2 cup
• Water - 4 cups
• Cardamom - 3 nos
• Cinnamon - 2 pieces
• Cloves - 3 nos
• Bay Leaf - 2
• Onion - 1 (sliced)
• Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Big prawns - 4 nos (deveined and washed)
• Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Ginger garlic Paste - 2 tsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Ghee - 5 tsp
• Onion - 2 nos (Sliced)
• Green chillies - 5 nos
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
• Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup
• Coconut oil - 1/2 cup
• Curd - 1 cup
• Tomato - 1 no (chopped)
• Cashew nuts - 10 (fried)
• Raisins - 10 (fried)

Method

Step 1

Wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Boil 4 cups of water.

Step 2

Heat a pan and add ghee, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, sliced onion and saute for 4 minutes. Add the drained rice and saute well. Add boiled water and salt to the rice and cook for 10 minutes. Sprinkle lime juice to it and stir well. The rice is ready.

Step 3

Clean the big prawns and marinate with 1 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and salt. keep it for half an hour.

Step 4

Heat oil in a pan shallow fry the big prawns for 5 minutes.

Step 5

In the same oil sort the sliced onion for 3 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste, green chillies add stir well.

Step 6

Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, tomato, mint leaves, coriander leaves, curd and mix well. Add fried big prawns, salt and cook in low flame for 5 minutes. Prawns gravy is ready now.

Step 7

Take another big vessel for stacking layers for biryani. Spread some prawns gravy first. Now spread some rice enough to cover the prawns gravy.

Step 8

Again spread prawns gravy, then rice, again ghee, mint leaves, fried cashews and raisins. Repeat the same process, until gravy is over and finish it up with rice on top.

Step 9

Cover tightly with a heavy weight and cook about 25 mins on slow heat. Prawn biryani is ready.

Step 10

Serve hot prawns biryani with salad.

Fish Biriyani Recipe – Malabar Style Fish Biriyani Recipe

Ingredients

• To fry fish :
• Cleaned king Fish - 1/2 kg
• Lime juice - 2 tbsp
• Red Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry fish
• To make Biriyani Masala :
• Ghee - 4 tbsp
• Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
• Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Onions chopped - 3 big
• Tomato chopped - 1 big
• Green Chili - 8
• Coriander leaves - 10
• Mint leaves - 10
• Lime juice - 7 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• To make ghee rice :
• Rice - 1/4 kg (2 and 1/2 glass rice)
• Water - 5 glass
• Ghee - 5 tbsp
• Sunflower oil - 5 tbsp
• Cinnamon(Karugapatta) - 5 piece
• Cardamom(Elakka) seeds - 5 piece
• Cloves(Grambu) - 5 piece
• For seasoning :
• 1 big onion chopped
• 12 cashew nuts
• 12 dried grapes

Method

Step 1

First step is to marinate the fish for 1/2 an hour by coating the fish with 2 tbsp red chilli powder, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tbsp pepper powder, 1 tbsp turmeric powder and salt to taste.

Step 2

Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish. Donot deep fry, but have to be fried moderately.

Step 3

By the time your fish is getting fried you can make the rice. Rice has to be washed in advance and kept drained to get dried for atleast 1/2 an hour.

Step 4

Heat oil and ghee mix in a thick bottomed bowl. Add Cinnamon(Karugapatta), Cardamom(Elakka) seeds, Cloves(Grambu) and fry for 1/2 a minute. Then add dried rice and fry it until rice gets separated from each other. Please take care that the rice should not get brown color when you fry it.

Step 5

Mean while, boil water by adding adequate salt required to cook the rice.

Step 6

Once the rice is fried, add boiling water to the rice and check salt. Then stir well and cook the rice in low flame with lid closed. Once rice is cooked switch of the flame and keep aside.

Step 7

Now the third step is to make the masala. Before we start masala preparation, we can fry the seasoning items (onion, cashew nuts and dried grapes) and keep aside.

Step 8

In the same oil in which we have fried the seasoning items sauté ginger and garlic paste first. Put onion to this and sauté onion, tomato, green chilli, coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Step 9

Once this is sautéed well add lime juice, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt to taste.

Step 10

Sauté for 5 more minutes and slide fried fish to this gravy. Add 2 to 3 spoons of water and slowly mix the gravy and fish.

Step 11

Allow to cook for 10 minutes in very low flame with lid closed. Your Biriyani masala is ready!!!

Step 12

In a thick bottomed vessel greased with ghee, layer the ghee rice and fish masala adding some fresh coriander leaves in between the layers. On top add the fried seasoning and a spoon of ghee. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour and serve hot with dates chutney.

Basic Omlet Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 green Chilli chopped
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Method

Step 1

Mix well all ingredients together.

Step 2

Heat oil in a non stick pan. Pour the egg mixture into hot pan and cook omelet on one side well.

Step 3

Once one side is cooked flip the omelet to another side and allow to cook for 1 more minute.

Step 4

Now switch off the flame and serve hot omelet with bread or rice.

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients

• To prepare rice :
• 2 cup Basmati rice
• 1 Vegetable stock cube dissolved in 4 cup hot water
• 3 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 1/4 tbsp Ginger, Garlic & 1 green Chilli grind together to fine paste
• Salt to taste
• Items to sauté :
• 2 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 1/4 tbsp Ginger, Garlic & 1 green Chilli grind together to fine paste
• 2 Carrots finely chopped
• 20 Beans finely chopped
• 1 Capsicum finely chopped
• 3 Eggs scrambled with salt for taste & 2 pinch Turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp dark Soya sauce
• 1 tbsp Chilli sauce
• Salt for taste

Method

Step 1

First clean the rice, drain water and allow to dry for 15 minutes.

Step 2

By the time the rice gets dried, keep 4 cups of water on flame to boil. In this water dissolve the vegetable stock.

Step 3

Meanwhile, chop the vegetables also.

Step 4

In a thick bottomed pot, pour 3 tbsp oil and fry the rice for 2 minutes. Then add boiled water with vegetable stock to the rice. Reduce the flame and allow the rice to cook.

Step 5

By the time the rice gets cooked, place a pan and make the scrambled egg first and keep aside.

Step 6

In the same pan sauté beans first in oil because beans need a little more cooking time than other vegetables.

Step 7

Once beans is cooked add ginger-garlic-green chilli mix followed by carrots and capsicum. Cook all vegetables together for 2 minutes.

Step 8

Meanwhile check if the rice is cooked. If water is fully evaporated and the rice is cooked stir the rice once and switch of the flame.

Step 9

After 2 minutes, to the cooked vegetables add soya sauce and chilli sauce and mix well.

Step 10

Then add scrambled egg to the vegetable mix and adjust the salt by adding some more salt if required.

Step 11

Add this vegetable mix to the cooked rice and mix well. Keep aside for 5 minutes. Now yummy, tasty and healthy egg fried rice is ready to serve.

King Fish Fry Recipe – Kerala Style Fish Fry

A tip to remove the fishy smell of the Fish:  Coat cleaned fish with juice of one lemon and salt. Keep aside for 5 minutes and again clean the fish in running water. All the fishy smell will go!!! 

Ingredients

• Cleaned King Fish - 1/2 kg
• Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Shallots cleaned - 5
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry fish
• Curry leaves - a few to add when frying

Method

Step 1

Make fine paste of all the ingredients and apply on the Fish. Marinate for 1/2 an hour.

Step 2

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the Fish. Add some curry leaves once fish is half fried to add very nice flavor.

Step 3

Your spicy, tasty and easy Fish fry is ready to serve hot with Rice and variety of breads!!!!

Moru Kaallan Curry with Kumbalanga – Yogurt and ashgourd curry recipe

Ingredients

Ashgourd (Kumbalanga) - 250 gms

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tspn

Chilly Powder - 1/2 tspn

Green Chilly - 3 nos

Salt - to taste

For making the paste:

Curd / Yogurt (sour) - 3 cups

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tspn

Shallots - 8 nos

For seasoning:

Coconut Oil - 2 tbspn

Mustard - 1tspn

Red chilly - 2 Nos

Curry Leaves - 10 leaves

Method

Step 1

Grind curd, coconut, cumin and shallots into a fine paste. Mash the curd and mix it with the coconut paste. Keep it aside.

Step 2

Peel and cut the Kumbalanga / Ashgourd into small cubes. Cook Ashgourd with 2 cups of water, turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt. Ashgourd cooks quickly and hence ensure not to overcook it. Cook it over a low flame.

Step 3

Once the Ashgourd is cooked well add the coconut and curd paste to this and keep it in low flame untill hot. Take care, the curry should not boil. Remove from heat.

Step 4

For seasoning, heat coconut oil in a pan (over medium flame), add the mustard seeds, once spluttering is complete, add red chillies and curry leaves. Turn off the flame. Keep it for 1 minute and then pour to the curry.

Chilli Prawns / Shrimp

1. Cleaned prawns/shrimp – 500 gms
2. Plain flour (maida) – 3 tablespoon
   Cornflour – 3 tablespoon
   Crushed Pepper – 1 tablespoon
   Egg white – of 1 egg
   Salt
3. Onion – 1 medium
   Ginger & garlic – 1 tablespoon each, chopped
4. Capsicum – 1 small
5. Spring onion – 1/2 cup chopped
6. Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
   Crushed pepper – 1/2 tablespoon
7. Soya sauce – 1 tablespoon
   Tomato sauce – 1-2 tablespoon
8. Salt
   Oil

Mix number 2 ingredients with a little water and make a thick paste. Marinate the prawns in this paste for 20 minutes. Fry the prawns and keep it aside. In the same oil saute ginger,garlic & chopped onion. When the onion becomes soft add capsicum & spring onion. Saute for 5 minutes & add chilli powder & crushed pepper. Mix well. Add the sauces & salt. Stir for a few minutes and add the fried prawns. Mix well.Cook for some more minutes till it becomes dry. Garnish with spring onion.

 Tomato Rice Recipe

Ingredients for Tomato Rice:

Tomato juice  - 4 medium

Green chillies - 2Onion - 1 smallGarlic - 6 cloves

Red chilly powder- 1/2  tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala -  1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds  - for temperingOil - 1 tbspSalt - to tasteCooked rice - 2 cups

How to Make Tomato Rice:

1. Heat oil and cackle mustard seeds . Add chopped onions,  and slit green chillies. Fry till golden brown.

2. Now add the chopped garlic, turmeric, jeera, cinnamon powder and fry for 2-3 mins.

3. Next, add the  tomatoes JUICE  and mash nicely while on fire. Adjust salt and let it cook for about 10 mins or so, until the tomatoes are cooked soft and take a sauce-like consistency.

4. Turn off fire, add the cooked rice and mix well.

 INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN MASALA RECIPE

Preparation time: 20 minutes 
Cooking time: 20 minutes 
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 250 gm of boneless chicken, cubed
• 2 onions, minced
• 1 tomato, pureed
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste or sauce
• 1 tbsp of butter, ghee, or oil
• 1 tsp of minced garlic
• 1 tsp of minced ginger
• 2 tsp of coriander powder
• 1 tsp of chilli powder (use Kashmiri chilli powder for better results)
• 1 tsp of garam masala or chicken masala
• 1 large pinch of kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves
• 1 cup of milk
• 3 tbsp of cream or pureed cashew paste (soak and grind cashew nuts)
• 1-2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 small bunch of coriander leaves / cilantro, for ganish

How to Make Butter Chicken:

• Heat the butter in a pan and add the minced onions. Fry until golden brown
• Add the ginger, garlic, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, and salt. Fry for a minute until fragrant
• Add the pureed tomato and tomato paste and cook for 3-4 mins until the mixture bubbles uniformly
• Thrown in the kasuri methi, milk, and the cubed chicken. Cook covered for 8-10 mins until the chicken is soft. The chicken will let out more water, just check once or twice in between and give the curry a stir. Keep the flame on sim
• When the chicken is cooked soft, open the lid and cook for a further minute or two. If the gravy is too thick, add some water at this stage
• When done, add the garam masala or chicken masala and the cream or cashew paste. Give it a good stir, but don't boil
• Adjust salt, garnish with the coriander leaves, and remove from fire

Prawn Curry in Coconut Milk – Chemmeen Thenga Pal Curry 

Ingredients

• Prawns - 500 gm
• Red chilly powder - 2 tsp
• Green chillies - 3 nos (chopped)
• Gambooge (Kudampuli) - 3 pieces
• Coconut milk - 2 cups
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece (chopped)
• Curry leaves - 2 strings
• Shallots - 5 nos (chopped)
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coconut oil - 3 tsp
• Garlic - 3 cloves (chopped)

Method

Step 1

De-shell and de-vein ( very important ) the prawn and wash softly.

Step 2

In a clay pot, combine cleaned prawns, coconut milk, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, chopped green chillies, gambooge (kudampuli) and salt. Heat on medium flame and cook for 10 minutes until the prawns are soft and cooked completely.

Step 3

In a pan heat coconut oil and add chopped shallots and curry leaves. Saute well till it becomes golden in color. Add this to hot prawn curry and combine well.

Step 4

Switch off the flame and cover the pan. Keep the prawn curry for at least 30 minutes before serving, so that the prawns absorb all the flavors.

Step 5

Tasty Prawn Curry is ready to be served with rice, appam or chapathi.

Beef dry fry In salt and pepper

Ingredients

• Beef - 500gm
• Onion - 1 (chopped)
• Shallots - 5 nos (chopped)
• Kashmiri red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger paste -1/2 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Vinegar - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves - 2 string
• Coconut oil - 4 tsp
• Water - 2 cup
• Green chilies - 3 nos (chopped)

Method

Step 1

Clean and cut the beef into small pieces.

Step 2

Marinate the beef with ginger garlic paste, pepper powder, garam masala, salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilly powder, chopped shallots and vinegar for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Pressure cook the marinated beef with 2 cup of water for 5 minutes or until the first whistle. When all the steam has escaped open the cooker lid. If there is excess water cook until the water is fully absorbed.

Step 4

Heat coconut oil in a pan and saute the chopped onion till it becomes golden brown.

Step 5

Add chopped greed chillies, curry leaves and cooked beef. Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala at this stage. Stir over a low flame. Spicy Beef dry is ready to serve.

Hot And Spicy Beef Curry

Ingredients

• Beef - 500 g
• Dry red chillies - 2 nos
• Black Pepper - 1 tsp
• Shallots(small onion) - 1 cup
• Ginger garlic paste - 3 tsp
• Onions - 1 no (chopped)
• Cumin seeds (perumjeerakam) - 1 tsp
• Tomatoes - 2 nos
• Green chillies - 3 nos
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• coriander powder-2 tbsp
• garam masala powder- 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Coconut oil - 6 tbsp
• Curry leaves - 2 stem
• Kashmiri red chilly powder - 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaves - 1 stem
• Water - 2 cup

Method

Step 1

Clean the beef and cut into small pieces.

Step 2

Heat 3 tsp coconut oil in a pan add the dry red chillies and fry for 3 minutes.

Step 3

Fry  red chilly powder,turmeric powder,corianderpowder , black pepper,  together and set aside.

Step 4

In the same pan add shallots, ginger garlic paste and stir fry this till they turn brown. Blend all these fried ingredients in a mixer grinder.

Step 5

Pressure cook chopped beef with turmeric powder, salt, water and the blended mixture for 8 minutes.

Step 6

Take a pan add 3 tsp of coconut oil add chopped onion. Stir fry onions it turns brown add green chillies and chopped tomatoes. Saute for 3 minutes. Add cooked beef, curry leaves to this and mix well. add GARAM MASALA.  

Step 7

When the curry turns brown, turn off the flame. Garnish roasted beef with curry leaves, coriander leaves.

Step 8

Roasted beef is ready to be served with porotta or chapathi or rice .

 Raw Jackfruit Thoran or Idichakka Thoran

Ingredients

• Raw Jack fruit or Idichakka - 1 small
• Shallots - 5 nos (crushed)
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Dry red chilly - 5 nos (crushed)
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 string
• Coconut oil - 4 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Water - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/4 tsp

Method

Step 1

Cut the Jackfruit in to small pieces and cut the skin, remove the stem, top portion of the Tender Jackfruit if it is too hard and wash the pieces with salt.

Step 2

Pressure cook the cleaned Jackfruit with little water, salt and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder for 1-2 whistle.

Step 3

Do not overcook the pieces. When it is done remove from fire, drain it and allow it to cool.

Step 4

Shred the cooked Jackfruit piece by a food processor or mixer.

Step 5

Heat coconut oil in a pan add mustard seeds, uraddal, curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes. Add crushed shallots, crushed dry red chilly and fry for 2 minutes.

Step 6

Add the grated coconut and stir fry till all water is dried. Add the shredded Jackfruit and keep stirring. Cover and cook for 3 minutes in low flame and adjust the salt and remove from the fire.

Step 7

The tasty Raw Jackfruit Thoran is ready. Serve with hot boiled rice.

Avial recipe

Ingredients

• Carrot - 50 gm
• Yam (chena) - 100 gm
• Cucumber (vellarika) - 100 gm
• Yard long beans (achinga payar) - 50 gm
• Snake gourd (padavalanga) - 100 gm
• Raw banana - 50 gm
• Drumstick (murungakai) - 100gm
• Green chilly - 50 gm
• Green mango - 2 pieces
• Curry leaves - 2 strings
• Coconut grated - 300gm
• Coconut oil - 200gm
• Cumin seed (jeerakam) - 1 tsp
• Curd - 25 ml
• Ash gourd (Kumbalanga) - 100 gm
• Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Shallots (small onion) - 5 nos
• Water - 1 cup
• Salt to taste

Method

Step 1

Clean and cut all the vegetables lengthwise of 1/2 inch thickness.

Step 2

Take a pan add carrot, chena, cucumber, yard long beans, snake goard, raw banana, drumstick, green mango, ash gourd, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt, water and 75 ml of coconut oil. Cook for 7 minutes.

Step 3

Grind coconut, cumin seed, green chillies, shallots in a blender.

Step 4

Add this coconut mixture and curd to the cooked vegetables and cook for 4 minutes.

Step 5

Finally add coconut oil and curry leaves to the vegetable mixture. The delicious kerala avial is ready to be served .