Erissery - Pumpkin With Green Gram Dal curry

I am fulfilling the sadya recipes in my blog. Yes, Erissery is one among them. Its a very healthy vegetarian recipe with the ingredients as pumpkin and green dal. It makes a much taste difference,as it has a mild sweet and a little spicy. When i say it has a different taste it applies for its texture as well. Usually this recipe is little more liquid kind, however the one i made is thick. I like this one as better,but its your choice,it all depends how much water you use. Erissery is the most popular recipe in Trivandrum,mostly served in Sadyas for Vishu or Onam.

Traditionally, its made with with yam, unripe plantains and pigeon peas apart from using pumpkins. The one i made is authentically made in cities like Trivandrum and my amma just uses the raw plantain,pumpkin and the green gram. If you have not tasted this recipe you will definitely love making it again as it has a rich taste and coconut aroma. Its a ultimate treat for vegetarians :) If you are confused in making something different to your family,just go for this.
 

Ingredients:

• Raw Plantain- 1 Sliced as cubes.
• Pumpkin- 1 1/2 Cup Sliced as big cubes.
• Green Gram Dal- 1/2 Cup
• Turmeric Powder- 1/4 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1/4 Tspn
• Green chilies- 3 Sliced

To Grind as Paste:

• Coconut shredded- 1/4 Cup
• Garlic pieces- 2
• Cumin Seeds- 1 Tspn

To Temper:

• Coconut Shredded- 1/4 Cup
• Mustard Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Urud Dal- 1 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Coconut oil- 1 Tspn

Method:

• Pressure cook the green gram dal for 3 whistles with water and keep aside.
• Grind all the ingredients under “To grind as paste” and keep aside.
• Add the green chilies and cubed pumpkins to the cooked green gram dal and pressure cook again for 1 whistle.
• After its all cooked, keep the flame low and add the grounded paste and turmeric,coriander powder and cook until the masala smell goes from it.
• In a separate pan, add all the ingredients except coconut and sauté well for a minute, switch off the flame and in the same heat add the shredded coconut and saute until it turns little brown.
• Add this to the cooked curry and give a stir.Serve hot with rice.

Tips:

"When adding pumpkin add water to the pressure cooker if needed.

As I mentioned I made it dry, however if you want to make it watery add water while at any point of cooking."

Read More

Neer Dosa

Neer dosa the word itself says it all. It’s named so, as the batter prepared for making this should be very much watery. Neer dosa are very much famous in Karnataka and mangalore as well. The beauty of this dosa variety is the process as most types of dosa require the batter to be fermented for a few hours or even a day. However, fermentation can be skipped while preparing a neer dosa.The best side dish for this dosa would be a chicken ghee roast which is coming soon in my blog. However, if you are a vegetarian sambar, chutney (coconut or coriander or spicy tomato or other chutney of choice) would be a best choice as its side dish.

As you see the pictures, they are very much soft, smooth and it just literally melts in your mouth. The texture looks like a thin paper which anyone will fall love with. Especially, this is one of the kid’s favorite. All you need to do is just soak the rice and grind with coconut and you are all set with the batter. Ts very much similar to Kerala Appam, the variation was the fermentation as the neer dosa doesn’t need that.The most interesting fact is using the tawa for making it, as we are not using a dosa pan for making it.Here you go with the making of these cute snow white dosas, a Mangalore signature dish :)
 

Ingredients:

• Raw Rice- 2 Cup
• Coconut Shredded- 1 Cup
• Salt- To Taste
• Water- Atleast 2 cups( it should be very much watery, hence the quantity of water may vary)

Method:

• Soak the rice for atleast 2 hours.
• Grind the rice along with the coconut and grind it to fine paste.
• Add salt and the water and make it watery.
• Pour the batter in a ladle to a non stick tawa/skillet and cook until the dosa is cooked well. Flip other side if needed and fold in four sides and serve hot.

  
Tips:

"The neer dosa doesn’t need fermentation, however if you want to, then you could keep the batter overnight.

You can also add some boiled rice while grinding. However its optional.

Add as much as water needed to make the batter watery."

Read More

Vegetable Samosa

Samosas are always special and its favorite snack for most of us, it’s a perfect snack for a tea time. I love samosas and whenever I have it I thought the making would be tedious because of its structure and taste, and even when I start making it, I was little confused if I get the shape. I was surprised when I saw them perfect and it was very simple to make as well. The taste of samosa is ranked only by its stuffing. The stuffing is made in different types as some uses potato and some only with the peas and other vegetables. I have given few snaps for you to understand the rolling process which may help you to make it simple. 

I used the all-purpose flour for the outer cover, and just rolled it, but some people use to toast in a pan slightly the rolled dough. This process is not mandatory, it’s your choice if you want to toast or using it plainly. The toasting would make the samosa very crisp. I skipped doing it as I am not that fond of making the samosas crispy. It’s a fried or baked pastry with savory filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils and sometimes ground beef or ground chicken. In Kerala most of the bakeries will have the beef or chicken as the stuffing. I wish you to get it perfect and enjoy your tea time :)
 

Ingredients:
 
For Stuffing:

• Potato- 2 Medium
• Peas (frozen)- ¼ cup
• Onion sliced- 1 Nos
• Green chilies- 1 sliced
• Grated ginger- ¼ Tspn
• Garam Masala- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- few
• Coriander leaves- few chopped
• Salt- To Taste

For Outer Layer:

• Maida/All Purpose flour-1 Cup
• Oil- To deep fry
• Salt- To Taste

Method:
 
For Stuffing:

• Cook the potatoes separately in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles, after it set cool peel the skin and smudge the potatoes and keep aside.
• In a frying pan, pour oil, add the curry leaves, ginger and onion and sauté until it becomes translucent.
• Add the peas and sauté for 2 minutes add, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and sauté until the masala smell goes from it.
• Lower the flame and add the smashed potatoes and stir well to combine everything.
• Add the chopped coriander leaves and set aside.

For Outer Layer:

• Make dough by adding water little by little to the all-purpose flour and set aside for about 10 minutes wrapping with a thin cover.
• Start working with the dough as shown in the below making pictures.

• In the hot oil, deep fry the stuffed samosas and transfer to a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Tips:

"If you are not using the frozen peas, soak overnight and cook it separately before you make the stuffing.

Do not compromise on the coriander leaves s it gives a nice flavor to the stuffing.

If you do not use the potatoes add other vegetables such as carrot and peas and you can add lentils as well."

Read More

Baby Potato Fry

Potato fry recipes are very common and cooked in most vegetarian families however this one is something which uses tomato ketchup as one of a ingredient and so the taste is also awesome.. I have been thinking to present a tasty and easy vegetarian recipe. It’s a very simple and tasty side dish which can be served rich with rice or any dish for your lunch. The idea of making baby potatoes came into my mind when I saw them after a very long time in a super market. Though it doesn’t take much to time to make, however the longer time for making this would be baking the potatoes. Just to be very sure if your potatoes are cooked well, prick a fork at the center and you could find it.

I am not that fond of potatoes but my bf does. He likes potatoes very much in what ever the way I make. I just loved having it with plain curd rice or lemon rice. It would be a perfect choice when you are running out of time but then you cannot compromise on having something good as well. Before you start making, cook the potatoes at microwave as I did for about 8-10 minutes, make sure it shouldn’t be so very mushy or very solid kind. I am sure you may get tempted with the pictures, rewrite your shopping list adding baby potatoes to it :) 

Ingredients:

• Baby Potatoes (with or without skin)- 8-10 Nos
• Kasuri Methi- 1 Tspn
• Garlic- 5 Pods (sliced as thin)
• Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 Tspn
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Coriander powder- 1 Tspn
• Garam Masala- 1 Tspn
• Salt- To Taste
• Mustard Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Urud Dal- ½ Tspn
• Curry Leaves- few
• Tomato Ketchup- 1 Tspn
• Lemon- Half

Method:

• Cook the potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes and keep aside.
• In a separate pan, pour oil when it becomes hot add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, kasuri methi and Urud dal and ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute
• Add all the powders in the ingredients with salt and again sauté for few minutes until the raw smell goes from it.
• Add the potatoes and sauté again for few minutes.
• Add half cup of water and cook it covered for about 5 minutes.
• After it cooked well and the water is evaporated, add the tomato ketchup and give a quick stir.
• Set off the flame and squeeze the lemon to it and serve hot.

 
Tips:

"Removing the skin from it, however its not mandatory. If you still like to remove then peel the skin roughly with a knife.

After all the powders are added make sure its not fully dried up as it may not taste good, hence add more oil at that time if its dry.

Since the potatoes are already cooked in microwave, cook carefully as it shouldn’t get mushy.

You can add a chicken masala to it but its optional which you a extra taste to the recipe."

Read More

Corn Lettuce Wrap: A Milky Masala Corn Snack

It’s been a while that I posted something which is healthy, not that iam not cooking anything healthy, but really having a hard time in managing the blog and my office :) but then I thought I should never give up and there comes a recipe, which is very easy and tasty snack. This is a very first recipe I am posting in my blog with Corn. In common, we use corns while making any rice pulavs or sometimes in pudding or a soup, just as an ingredient but have you ever tried anything with corn as a recipe? I guess you may not, as there are not much recipes to make with corns. This is a very unique recipe which has a sweet taste ( as its cooked with milk) as well as a little spicy.
 

 
In India, most corns are little hard even after cooking it, but I found corns here which are very soft, milky and we like even if it’s not cooked too. This is a very simple corn snack which takes about 10 minutes for you to prepare. My Amma gave me this snack recipe and I just went on making as a wrap out of it with lettuce. Interesting isn’t it. I just tried it once, and now it became a repetitive snack at my kitchen. The only little lengthy process in this is shredding the corn from the cob. It’s easier to do with hands if the corn is hard however, corns available here takes little more time to remove the corns from the cob as it is very soft,but if use a corn kerneler (if you have) or just use a knife you are all set.

As I said, its tasty as well as healthy, we all knows how healthy the corn is.

Few Nutritious Facts:

• Corns are rich in fiber content: It has many B-complex vitamins including vitamins B1, B5 and folic acid, and its notable protein content
• One fascinating new area of research on corn involves its potential anti-HIV activity. And also it reduces risk of hemorrhoids and colorectal cancer
• Corn is a good source of phenolic flavonoid antioxidant, ferulic acid. Several research studies suggest that ferulic acid plays vital role in preventing cancers, aging, and inflammation in humans.
• Further, it also contains healthy amounts of some important minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese.
• Consuming corn is also linked to reduced signs of diabetes. Studies have shown that the consumption of corn kernels assists in the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)

So, what are you waiting for, grab a cob and enjoy! :)
 

Ingredients:

• Steamed Corns removed from the cob- 1 Cup
• Milk- ½ Cup
• Chili powder- ¼ Tspn
• Ginger pieces- finely chopped- 2 Tspn
• Green chilies chopped- 1 Tspn
• Mustard Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Lemon- small size
• Salt- To Taste
• Coriander Leaves- few
• Oil- 1 Tspn
• Asafetida- a pinch
• Lettuce- 1 bunch

Method:

• In a pan with medium heat pour milk, when it heats up add the corns to it and cook until the milk is dried up in the corn. Remove it and keep aside.
• In the same pan, pour oil, when it heats up add mustard seeds and when it breaks up add the green chilies, ginger and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Now add the steamed corns and sauté again, add chili powder,salt and asafetida and sauté for another 2 minutes and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Switch off the flame and squeeze the lemon to it.
• Arrange the corns to the lettuce and make a roll and enjoy as snack!

Notes:
As said, if you don’t need it as snack, you can serve just the corns. Wrapping it with lettuce is optional 

 

Read More

Authentic Lemon Pickle

OMG! I am very sure you won’t miss making it often after you taste it, as the taste is awesome.I never thought I could make an authentic lemon pickle as my Amma is an expert in making it, but believe me it came out so well and now it’s a part of everything my Bf’s meal.Pickles are made in many ways, like an instant or as an authentic. Instant pickles are very easy to make with no tedious process like my Instant Mango Pickle. This lemon pickle is something made very authentically in kerala, Yes, the total days I took for a perfect mixture was nearly 15-18 days. The making is very simple however the days for preparing it is little long, But once you make it in the beginning then you all set.

My Amma use to say that if the pickle is not authentically handled, it will surely get spoiled even while making itself. So care should be taken while handling it, such as like always use clean neat spoon (not plastic).

Since it involves more kind of a process, I had given the method as an instruction. Use only small greenish lemons and not the big one. Once you get the lemon, clean it properly and make sure that there is no mud or dust in it, this process is very essential in making a authentic lemon pickle. After washing the lemon wipe it with using a clean cotton cloth and remove the wet from it. Its very important to do that as if there is any dirt or dust may cause damage to the pickle.
 

Ingredients:

• Lemon- 50 nos
• Green Chilies- 10 nos
• Kallu uppu(Sea Salt)- a 3/4th of the packet( if it’s a ½ kg packet)
• Gingely Oil- 8-9 Tspn
• Fenugreek Seeds powder- ¾ Tspn
• Dried red chilies- 1 Cup (loosely packed)
• Asafetida powder- 1 Tspn

Instructions:

• Take a clean ceramic air tight container and fill the base with handful of salt After the lemon is cleaned as said above, cut the lemons as 4 pieces and green chilies as 2 slices.
• Add about 25 pieces of lemon into the jar.
• On top of it, add again a handful of salt and shake the jar to mix well.
• Layer the lemons and green chilies with the salt as said with shaking in between to mix well.
• After all set, close the container tightly.
• Do not open the jar for about 6 days for the salt to set.
• After the 6th day, open the jar and shake it for a minute and close again, the same way repeat the process for each day for another 10 more days (until the lemons become soft and the salt is completely dissolved and the salt is completely soaked with the lemon)
• If you feel still the lemons haven’t become soft, leave it for another 3 more days.
After the 10th day, you can check the salt if its sufficient if yes, go with the final method else, add little more salt and keep for another 3 more days.

Final Method:

• Dry roast the red chilies and grind to coarse powder (not as a fine powder just like a chilly flakes)
• In a heating pan, add oil, when the oil becomes hot, add the fenugreek powder and asafetida and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add both the roasted red chili powder and the oil mixture to the soaked lemons and stir well.
• After adding the ingredients to the lemon keep it unopened for one more day.
• After a day, you could serve with hot rice or chappathi

Tips:

"Adjust the spice level as per your spicy need.

When ever you are serving, always use neat clean spoon.

Mix well often, as the gravy will reside at the bottom of the jar, hence before you handle, you could mix well so that you can get the gravy as well.

At some times, the lemon will not be softer even after soaking for 15 days, in that case, you can go ahead with the final method. 

After you make the pickle, its better if you keep it in the refrigerator so that the pickle stays good for many days". 

Read More

Vendakai Vathal / Okra Fries

I never thought I could make something good with okra, as I was not such an expert in cooking with okra until I make this. This is a very simple, and much tasty fries which can be served with any rice varieties or you could have this as just as a snack. In normal vendakai fry, we use to add just the masala powders and deep fry it however, in this there is a small difference in the ingredients. All you need is just to marinate everything and keep it for at least ½ hour for the ingredients to set well with the vendakai.

Okras are rich sources of dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins; often recommended by nutritionists in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. This recipe is healthy as well as tasty, but as much as you reduce the volume of oil used is good. Iam sure you all will like and try this at your kitchen :) Here you go with the making.
 

Ingredients:

• Okra- 300 Grams
• Corn Flour- ¾ Tspn
• Rice Flour- 2 Tspn
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn
• Curd- 1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Asafetida powder- ¼ Tspn
• Salt- To taste
• Oil- To Deep fry

Method:

• Marinate the okra with all the ingredients except curd and oil with spraying little water.
• In the boiling oil, add the marinated okra to it and deep fry.Flip both the sides for even cooking.
• In the middle before it gets cooked, add the curd and continue frying it.
• After it turns golden brown, transfer to the paper towel and serve.

Tips:

"Add only little water just like spraying while mixing all the ingredients with okra.

You can add few curry leaves, however it’s optional.

Do not cook for long time in the oil, as it may get burnt. Deep fry it until it becomes lite and crispy."

Read More

Kaalan - Onam Sadya Recipe

I am in the collection of Onam Sadya recipes, I have posted few already in the vegetarian menu, still more I am posting to make it complete, one among them is Kaalan. It’s a very famous vegetarian Onam recipe served in the occasion, next after the pulisherry is served or sometimes as first. The recipe is very simple and its made out of just the raw plantain. Whenever you are hurry to make something, this will be the best choice, all you need as the key ingredient as curd.

You can also add some yam/chenna which gives you the extra taste, however if you don’t get it in your place, you can ignore it. Kaalan is most famous in Thrissur and many people may not be very sure about this, so if you have never tasted go far it and I am sure you will add this to your cooking menu once in a while :)
 

Ingredients:

• Raw Plantain-1 Nos (Cut as small cubes)
• Yam/Chenna- ¼ Cup(Optional)
• Curd (Beaten)- 1 Cup
• Chili Powder- 1 Tspn
• Coriander Powder-1 Tspn
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Pepper Powder- ½ Tspn
• Green chilies- 2 Nos
• Fenugreek Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Mustard Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Dry Red Chilies- 4 Nos
• Coconut Oil- 2 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- few
• Water- 1 Cup

To Grind:

• Coconut Shredded- ½ Cup
• Cumin Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Garlic pods- 2 Nos

 

Method:

• In a pan, pour water,add the yam,plantain,chili,coriander,pepper and turmeric powder and heat in the medium flame until the vegetables cooked well.
• Ground all the ingredients to fine paste under “to grind” and keep aside.
• After the veggies are cooked (do not let all the water to dry up), add the grounded paste to it and mix well.
• Bring down to low flame, add the beaten curd and mix well again, add salt.
• In a separate pan, add the oil when it heats up add the mustard,curry leaves and dry red chilies and fenugreek seeds and give a stir.
• Add this to the curry and stir well and serve hot.

 
Tips:

"While cooking the vegetables make sure the water is not fully dried up.

After adding the curd, don't keep it in the flame as the curd may get separated and doesn’t give a proper taste.

Adding coconut oil is optional,you can add your own choice of oil, however coconut oil gives you the better taste."

Read More

Kumbakonam Kadappa

I agree the name sounds weird, but it’s a real blend of coconut and fennel seeds with potatoes and moong dal. I have never tried anything with potatoes and moong dal together and this is the first recipe. This recipe is from MIL’s cookbook and this is very favorite in Kumbakonam restaurants and cooked often in families as well, especially with idly/dosa. When I saw the recipe it was just white in color, and I couldn’t imagine having any kurma which is colorless and so I was little confused to taste it for the first time. However after tasting it, I never thought this will be so tasty, may be I would have liked it since its cooked in coconut oil :P, but its your choice if you don’t want to cook with it, you could use any oil.

I guess, most of the housewives’ biggest challenge would be what to cook for idly, dosa as everyone will be bored out of chutneys and sambars, and I am sure often made question from a wife to a husband would be "what to cook for dinner?"(lol).. haha as it happens every time at our home, and my bf says he is bored of hearing this every time :)

so here is the choice.. Kadappa -a simple and tasty side dish.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes- 2 Nos
• Moong Dal- ¼ Cup
• Shredded coconut- Less than a ¼ Cup
• Onion- 1 Medium
• Fennel Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Garlic- a small piece.
• Garam Masala- 1 Tspn
• Lemon Juice- half squeezed.

To Temper:

• Coconut Oil- 2 Tspn
• Mustard- 1 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- few
• Cumin Seeds- ¼ Tspn

Method:

• Grind the coconut, fennel and garlic to a fine paste and keep aside.
• Pressure cook the dal along with the potatoes for 3 whistle and keep aside.
• In a pan, pour oil, add all the ingredients to temper list and add the onions, green chilies and sauté well until it becomes translucent.
• Add garam masala powder and saute for 2 minutes, add the cooked dal and potatoes to it and mix well.
• Now, add the ground coconut paste with required water and mix well.
• Boil it until it becomes little tight. Squeeze the lemon into it and serve hot.

 
Tips:

"After you pressure cook the dal and potatoes smash it with a ladle before adding into the curry.

After you add the ground coconut paste, care should be taken as it will get burnt at the bottom, hence stir occasionally and do not leave it for more time in flame as it will become very tight in texture."

Read More

Kozhikaal / Tapioca Fritters - A Pure Vegetarian Snack!!!

I know you may get confused by the title. Let me make it clear, it’s a 100% vegetarian snack which got the name as “Kozhikaal” just because of its appearance. If you are from Thalassery I don’t want to say much as I am very sure that would have known and tasted it. Yes, this is an authentic Kerala recipe from the region of Thalasseri. You can find this if you go to any beach sides there. Thalassery is not just the hub of spices but also different Malabar recipes, I would say if you want to taste the right Malabar authentic dishes this is a right place for you.

One among those recipes is the kozhikaal, I know anyone will think that it’s made out of chicken legs; however it’s a very easy snack which is prepared out of tapioca. It’s a same recipe like the banana fritters but there are little more ingredients to add in it. For the making, slice the tapioca as thin for about 5 cm lengths. It tastes absolutely great when served with hot tea in a rainy evening!! :) Here you go with the making of it from the Paris of Kerala- Thalasseri recipe :)
 

Ingredients:

• Tapioca- 1 Medium size( sliced as thin pieces)
• Besan Powder- 5 Tspn
• Fine Rice powder- 3 Tspn
• Asafetida powder- 1 ½ Tspn
• Kashmiri Chilli Powder- 2 Tspn
• Green chilies sliced- 1
• Onion- 1 medium finely chopped
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Cumin Seeds- ½ Tspn
• Salt- As needed
• Coconut Oil- To Fry

Method:

• Make a thick batter out of all the ingredients.
• Grab 3-4 slices of tapioca pieces together, dip into the batter and fry it until it turns crispy.
• Transfer to a paper towel and serve hot.

Tips:

"You can add cumin as powder as well as it gives you an extra taste.

Adjust the chili powder as per your spice level."

Read More

Poondu Pulikuzhambu / Spicy Garlic Curry

I am obsoletely sure that every vegetarian has a passion towards this recipe. It’s a great recipe spiced with masala powders and garlic flavor gives you a treat for your taste buds. Most of them prepares it by just adding the powders as it is, however when you prepare by the way how I made by roasting and grinding to powder it gives you the extra taste. I know its not a big deal to prepare this kuzhambu, but its difficult to get the right taste,infact I tried with different versions and ended up with the tastiest one.

The making is very simple and its best when served with hot rice and pappad.The powder I used here is made out of grinding the ingredients under to roast and grind, you can store this powder for further preparation of vatha kuzhambu or pulikuzhambu. If you want to store the powder just increase the amount of ingredients used, with the same ratio.
 

Ingredients:

• Garlic- 10 pods
• Tamarind –Lemon size(make as a paste)
• Fenugreek seeds- ½ Tspn
• Gingely Oil- 3 Tspn
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Mustard Seeds- 1 Tspn
• Small Onions-Few
• Tomato- 1

To Roast and grind:

• Dry red chillies – 5 Nos
• Coriander Seeds/- 3 Tspn
• Rice – 1 Tspn
• Urad Dal – 2 Tspn
• Mustard Seeds – 1 Tspn
• Pepper – 3 Tspn
• Cumin seeds – 2 Tspn
• Toor Dhal – 1 Tspn
• Channa Dhal- 2 Tspn
• Fenugreek seeds – 1 Tspn

Method:

• Dry roast the ingredients under to roast and grind and keep aside.
• In a pan, pour oil, add curry leaves, mustard and fenugreek seeds, when its splits add the small onion and fry until it becomes translucent.
• Add the chopped tomato, garlic and sauté well until it becomes soft.
• Add the ground masala powder and stir until the masala smell goes from it.
• Add the tamarind juice and keep the flame in medium. Let it boil and stands in the stove until the gravy gets thickened well.
• Serve after it becomes warm with hot rice.

Tips:

"Always serve the curry when it becomes warm, so that the curry will be thick.

Cook the curry until it becomes thick; else it may not look thick and doesn’t taste so great.

You can use coconut paste also, but its optional."

Read More

Bisi Bele Bath

I was bored of cooking the same recipes at my kitchen, and yesterday my Bf just gave me a spark of thought to cook something other than a Tamil nadu or Kerala recipe.. at that moment just remembered my hostel menu, and bisi bele bath clicked my mind. If you had ever visited Bangalore or any part of Karnataka, this recipe is the master of all variety in any Restaurant’s Menu.

Its nothing but the Sambar rice, which is in Tamil nadu however it's a enhanced version of it, being a Non-veg lover, even I have a passion about this, and that’s the reason to share this recipe to you all. You can see this recipe served in most of the udupi sagar restaurants in Bangalore served with the peanuts or kara boondi.You need to prepare the bisi bele bath powder just like the sambar powder and you are all set for the making, here comes the Signature dish of Karnataka.

 

Ingredients:

• Rice (any,preferably sona masoori)- ½ Cup
• Toor Dal- ¾ Cup
• Tamarind - lemon sized (squeezed in water)
• Grated dry coconut – 2 Tspn
• Squash- ½
• Carrot- 1
• Green peas- ½ Cup
• Capsicum- ½ Cup sliced
• Tomato- 1
• Turmeric powder- ¼ Tspn
• Asafoetida- ¼ Tspn
• Peanuts - ¼ Cup
• Jaggery- a small piece.
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Peanut Oil- few
• Salt-To Taste
• Ghee- 2 Tspn
• Mustard seeds- 1 Tspn

For the Bisi Bele Bath Powder:

• Dried red chilies – 10 Nos(adjust as per your taste)
• Coriander seeds- 1 ½ Tspn
• Chana Dal- 1 Tspn
• Urud Dal- 1 Tspn
• Cardamom- 2 nos
• Fenugreek seeds- ¼ Tspn
• Mustard seeds- ½ Tspn
• Black pepper- ½ Tspn
• Poppy seeds – ¼ Tspn
• Cloves- 2
• Cinnamon- small piece
• Curry leaves-few
• Grated coconut- 2 Tspn
• Cumin seeds- ½ Tspn

Method:

• Pressure cook the rice and the dal with turmeric powder for 3 whistles.
• In a separate pan, dry roast all the ingredients under the bisi bele bath powder except coconut, after its fried set it cool and grind to fine powder.Add coconut while grinding,keep that separate.
• In a separate pan, add peanut oil, add tomatoes and sauté well, followed to it add all the vegetables in the ingredients and sauté well, add salt and give a stir.Pour little water to it and cook it covered with a lid.
• After the vegetables are nicely cooked, add the ground powder and sauté again until the masala smell goes from it.
• Add the tamarind extract to this and cook it uncovered until everything combines well.
• Add this mixture to the cooked rice and mix well.
• In a separate pan, add oil, peanuts,mustard seeds and curry leaves and sauté until the peanuts are turned brown.
• Add this to the rice, followed by jaggery and give a quick stir.

Tips:

"Do not cook over cook the veggies as it will smudge into the rice.
Add adequate water while making the curry, so that the rice will not be so thick. Adjust the chili usage as per your spice level."

Read More

Potato Stew

In Kerala, appam is most common breakfast at restaurants, at home, there are several curries served with it like egg curry or any non veg recipes,however I wanted to make a change with a different curry and even my Bf’s favourite breakfast is the Appam but when ever I prepare it, I ended up doing up the same curry, but this time, I got a new dish to go good with Appam from my Amma’s cookbook.
 

Potato Stew was awesome with Appam(The link should come here). This recipe is not spicy and most of the kids love it too. Last week, when I made this with Egg Appam, it was incredible and thought to share this for sure to my readers as well.The main ingredient in this recipe is the thick coconut milk and the preparation time is very less too. Here you go with the making.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes – 5 Nos
• Sliced Onion – 1
• Sliced Tomato – ½
• Thick Coconut milk – 1/2 Cup
• Green Chillies- 6 Nos
• Ginger- Garlic paste – 1 Tspn
• Coriander powder – 1 Tspn
• Garam masala- 1 Tspn
• Mustard Seeds – 1 Tspn
• Curry leaves – Few
• Asafetida- ½ Tspn
• Salt – To Taste
• Oil

Method:

• In a pressure cooker, add oil, when it heats up add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and ginger garlic paste and sauté well until the masala smell goes off from it.
• Add the sliced onions and sauté again until it becomes translucent; add the tomatoes and green chillies and sauté again.
• Add the potatoes; add the powders in the ingredients and sauté again until the masala smell goes from it.
• Add the coconut milk, salt and pressure cooker it for 2 whistles.
• After the whistle is off, keep the flame low, and stir to break the potatoes if its in big in size.
• Add asafetida and serve hot.

Tips:

"You can also add your choice veggies in the curry

If you need more gravy, you can add more coconut milk to the curry."

 

 

Read More

Chemma Chakka Thoran/Breadfruit Poriyal

I was thinking a lot to present an authentic kerala recipe as we all are in Onam Maasam. Lot of different varieties of vegetable recipes forms “Onam Sadya”, as it has aviyal, kichadi, here comes the yet another recipe in Onam Sadya. Cheema chakka(breadfruit) is very famous in Kerala where it is widely grown and cooked, it is known as Ceema chakka. Lot of curries is prepared using this fruit. This is same as of jackfruit but you can find the difference, as the outer skin is not sharp as like the normal jackfruit and even it is smaller than the normal jackfruit. This recipe is again exclusive from my Amma’s cookbook, as she prepares both as dry and the curry with it.

 

As you can see in the pic, the inner part of it is very soft and doesn’t have seeds in it. You just need to peel the skin and slice it into small pieces.The most important factor before making this recipe is that you have to put this in water after you cut them into pieces else it may get darken. It’s easy to cook and may not take much time to bake as well.
 

Ingredients:

• Cheema Chakka (Breadfruit)-sliced half cup
• Small Onion(Sliced)- half cup
• Turmeric Powder- ¼ Tspn
• Salt- To Taste

To Grind (Coarsely):

• Coconut- half Cup
• Garam Masala- 1 Tspn
• Chili Powder-1 Tspn
• Coriander Powder- 1 Tspn

To Temper:

• Coconut oil- 1 Tspn
• Mustard – 1 Tspn
• Dry Red Chilies- 2
• Curry Leaves- Few

 

Method:

• In a pan, add the cheema chakka pieces along with the small onion and pour little water, add turmeric powder and cook it covered until the pieces are baked well.
• After the chakka is baked well and the water is evaporated, add the grounded coconut, salt to it and sauté until the masala smell goes out from it and it slowly starts thickening.
• Now, in a separate pan, add all the items under to temper. Add this to the cooked chakka and serve hot.

Read More

Vada Curry

Vada Curry, I always use to wonder how they make this whenever I taste in Tamil Nadu hotels. If you are confused about the left over vadas which you make at home, here comes the vada Curry recipe, you can use all those vadas to this. And especially when you are bored of making the regular sambar and the chutney to your breakfast like idly,dosa. This recipe is awesome when served hot with idly especially.

It may look tedious to make, however your work is easy if you have vadas already.It is mainly famous in Chennai. You can find this in most restaurants served with pongal too. Here you go with the making.
 

To Make Vada:

• Channa dal -1/2 Tspn
• Chilli powder -1/2 Tspn
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Green chilies- few
• Onion sliced- few
• Salt
• Onion finely chopped – ¼ Tspn
• Oil for frying

For the Curry:

• Oil- 1 Tspn
• Mustard- 1 Tspn
• Curry Leaves-Few
• Small onion sliced- ½ Cup
• Tomato- 1 Sliced
• Sambar Powder- 2 Tspn
• Coconut Milk- 1/4 Cup

For the Curry:

• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 Tspn
• Green chili -few
• Fennel seeds -1/2 Tspn
• Cloves -2
• Cardamom -1
• Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

 

Method:

• Soak channa dal for 2 hours. Drain the water, add salt, chilli, green chilies,turmeric powder and grind coarsely with little water. Then mix finely chopped onions with it.
• Fry the vadas in the oil until it becomes golden brown,transfer it to the paper towel.
• Grind all the items under “To grind” to fine paste and keep aside.
• In a separate pan, add oil,mustard and the curry leaves, add the sliced small onions,sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
• Add the tomatoes, and the sambar powder, grounded paste and sauté until the masala smell goes off from it.
• Add the coconut milk to it, and let the curry boils for some time.
• Add the fried vada to the curry and smash the vadas with a ladle and sauté until it gets well into the curry.
• Add the coriander leaves,serve hot to idly,dosa.

Tips:

"Adding coconut milk is optional; however it gives a good taste to the curry.

While adding the vada to the gravy, the vadas should be soaked well in the gravy and it should not be hard."

Read More