Roasted Coconut / Varutharacha Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• Chicken – ½ kg 
• Onion – 2 
• Ginger garlic paste – 3 tsp
• Tomato – 1
• Chilli powder – 2 tsp
• coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves

To roast 

• Coconut grated – ½ cup
• Dry red chilli – 4
• Fennel seeds  – ½ tsp
• Cardamom – 2
• Cloves – 2
• Cinnamon – a small piece
• Whole pepper – 1 tsp
• Small onion – 4

Preparation

1.Heat oil in a pan and add all ingredients to roast. Fry till the coconut turns golden brown. Remove from fire and let it cool. Grind it and keep it aside.

2.Heat oil in another pan. Add curry leaves and sliced onions. Saute the onion till it turns golden brown.

3.Add ginger garlic paste. Cook for 2 minutes. Add sliced tomato and cook till it turns soft.Add chilli, coriander, turmeric powder and cook for 2 minutes.

4.Add chicken pieces and mix well. Add 2 cups of water and cook with the pan covered till chicken is cooked.

5.Add little water to the ground masala and make it to a paste. Add it to the cooked chicken and cook on low flame for 10 mins. Remove from fire. Add 1 tsp of oil on the top and keep pan closed for some time.

Puri

Ingredients 

• Wheat flour - 2 cups
• Milk - 2 tbsp
• Oil - 1tbsp
• Salt
• Water

Preparation

1.Mix flour, salt and milk in a bowl. Then add water little at a time and make a slightly stiff and smooth dough. Dough should not be too stiff nor too soft. Keep it covered for some time.

2.  Make equal sized smooth balls from the dough. Flatten it slightly. Roll it out into circles with a help of a rolling pin.. The rolled out puris should not be too thin nor too thick.
(You can apply a little oil on the rolling surface and then roll out puris, so that the dough does not stick to the board.)

3.Spread all the rolled out puris in a plate and start heating the oil in a kadai. When the oil is hot enough, take one rolled out dough and gently slide it from the side of the pan into the hot oil.

4. After a few seconds, slightly press the puri with the slotted ladle. This will help the puri to puff up nicely. Flip to the other side and fry till golden brown. Remove with a slotted ladle and place it in a colander to drain excess oil.

You can have Puri masala as a side dish for this.

Bird's Nest

1.Potato - 2 medium
2.Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup
   Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
   Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
   Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
   Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoons
   Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon
   Salt - to taste
3.Vermicelli - 1/2 cup
4.Oil - to fry

For batter:
   Corn flour - 1/4 cup
   Salt - to taste
   Water

1. Boil potato, remove skin and mash the potatoes.
2. To this add ingredients under number 2, mix well.
3. In a pan heat 1 tablespoon oil ,add the above mixture to the oil. Saute well for 3 minutes. Remove from flame and keep the mixture aside to cool it down.
4. Take vermicelli in a plate. Mix cornflour and salt with water to make a thick batter. Make lemon size balls out of the potato mixture, dip it in cornflour batter and roll it on vermicelli.
5. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry these  potato balls. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Rava Munthirikoth

It is a Kerala sweet made with Semolina

Semolina / Rava - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Maida - 1 cup
Cardamom - 2 tsp
Raisins - few

1. Fry the semolina without changing the colour then mix the fried rava, sugar, grated coconut and cardamom powder well.
2. Make small balls out of that mixture (Moist with milk if needed) and place one raisin on each ball.
3. Mix the maida with salt and water (Mix should not be watery)
4. Dip the balls in the flour mix and deep fry in oil.

Kallappam / Vellayappam

Ingredients

• Rice powder - 2 cups
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup
• Semolina - 2 tbsp
• Water - 1.5 cups
• Yeast - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 2tbsp

Preparation

1. Add 2 cups of water to semolina and cook till it is done. Let it cool. Add 1/4 cup lukewarm water to 1/2 tsp yeast and sugar. Keep it to rise. Grind the gated coconut with cumin powder and 3/4 cup water.

2. Once the cooked semolina is cool, add it to the rice powder. Combine well and add the yeast. Mix well. Add grated coconut paste to this and mix well.

3.Add 2 tbsp sugar and stir well. The consistency of the batter should be the same as idli batter. If the batter is too thick add little water and adjust accordingly. Keep the batter covered for 4-5 hours to rise. Once the batter is risen add 1/4 tsp of salt and sir well.

4. Heat a non stick pan and apply a little oil and pour the batter. Do not spread the batter since it will spread by itself. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, flip the appam and cook the other side also.

Scrambled Egg Burger

Ingredients

• Egg - 1
• Onion - 1, medium
• Tomato - 1, medium
• Green Chillies - 2
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Oil - 1/2 tbsp
• Salt

Preparation

1. Heat a pan with 1/2 tbsp of oil. Add the chopped onion and chilli. Mix and stir for a minute.

2. Add the tomatoes. Give a stir.  Put the flame on low and then crack the eggs into this. Sprinkle salt immediately.

3. Keep stirring until the eggs are cooked and it becomes scrambled and firm.

4. Cut the buns into half and slightly toast them on a pan with a drizzle of butter.

5. Take a half of bun and add the egg mix, pour some ketchup over it and close with other half.

Muttayappam

Ingredients

• Egg - 1
• Salt - a pinch
• Maida - 3 tbsp
• Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Baking Soda - a pinch

Preparation

1. Mix all ingredients with water in ribbon consistency.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan and pour a spoon of batter in circular shape. Fry both the sides.

3. Remove excess oil with tissue.

Avocado Milk Shake

Avocado - 1 (ripe)
Milk - 1 cup
Vanilla Essence - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - To taste
Cardamom - 1 pinch
Nuts - 1tbsp

1.Cut Avocado and remove the pulp. Blend it with 1/2 cup water.
2.Add sugar, milk, crushed cardamom and essence. Blend until smooth.
3.Check the taste, add anything if needed, if you want a thin texture, add more milk.
4.Finally add nuts and run the blender to crush the nuts.
5.Milk Shake is ready. Cool it and serve

Punugulu

This is an easy snack made with left over dosa batter.

Ingredients 

• Dosa Batter - 2 cups 
• Rice flour - 1 - 2 tbsps 
• Onions - 1/2, finely chopped 
• Green chili - 2, finely chopped
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp 
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig, finely chopped 

Preparation

1.Combine all the above ingredients and salt. Mix well. Leave aside for half an hour. 

2.Heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil gets hot, reduce flame to medium. Place a tablespoon for batter into the hot oil. 

3.Turn the punugulu as they change color and cook till golden brown.

Masala Dosa

Ingredients

• Potatoes - 2
• Onion - 1
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Green chilli - 3 (finely chopped or slit)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Urad dal -3/4 tsp
• Hing/Asafoetida - a pinch

Preparation

1. Wash and cut potatoes into half and pressure cook for 3 whistles. After it cools, peel the skin and mash it well. Keep it aside.

2. Cut onions lengthwise, slit green chilli and finely chop ginger.

3. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add hing, urad dal. When dal turns golden brown, add thinly sliced onions, green chilli, ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a few minutes until onion turns pink.

4.Add turmeric powder, mashed potatoes and salt needed.Cook for few minutes until everything gets blended well. Switch off the flame.

5. Heat a non stick or iron tawa, add a drop of oil and rub half an onion on it. Once the tawa is heated, bring the flame to medium and pour a ladle of batter in the center.

6.Using the back of the ladle, spread the batter in a circular motion. Drizzle a tsp of oil around the dosa and close it with a lid. (masala dosa should not be thick)

7.Once the edges starts browning and the dosa is cooked, reduce the heat, add 2-3 tbsp of potato masala, and fold the dosa. Remove from tawa and serve hot.

Mutton Curry

 Ingredients

•  Mutton- 500 gms
•  Onion- 2
•  Shallots -  12-14
•  Ginger- 1 ” piece
•  Garlic- 10 cloves
•  Green chilli- 2-3
•  Fennel seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
•  Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
•  Peppercorns- 1/2 tablespoon
•  Coriander seeds- 2 tablespoons
•  Tomato- 1
•  Curry leaves- 3 sprigs
•  Dried red chilli- 1
•  Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon
•  Cubed potato- 1-2

 For Tempering

•  Oil- 2 tablespoons
•  Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
•  Dried red chilli- 1
•  Sliced shallots- 4-5
•  Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Preparation

1.Heat oil in a pan. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, curry leaves and red chilli and saute till you get a good aroma.

2.Add the onion, shallots, ginger, garlic, green chilli and turmeric powder and saute till the onions turn light brown in colour.

3.Add the tomato and saute till becomes soft and onions turns brown . Switch off heat and let cool. Once cooled, grind to a smooth, fine paste. Add it to the mutton pieces along with salt. Cook till the mutton is done.

4.In another pan, heat oil. Add mustrad seeds. when they start to splutter, add the onions, curry leaves and red chilli. Saute till the onions turn brown in colour.

5.Add the cubed potatoes and saute for a minute. Pour this into the mutton and stir well. Cook till the potatoes are done. If you want gravy, you may add a little water.

Kappa Puzhungiyathu & Mulaku Chammanthi / Boiled Tapioca

Ingredients

• Kappa / Tapioca - 2-3 
• Salt  
• Water 

Preparation

1. De-skin the tapioca and wash well. Cut the tapioca into 2 or 3 portions depending on the length of the tapioca, cut these pieces again in half , wash well again.

2. Bring water to boil in a deep bottomed vessel or pan and season with salt and add the tapioca and cook until tapioca is cooked well through, it should get an almost translucent color.

3. Drain the water and serve hot.

Mulaku Chammanthi

• Shallots -  5
• Bird's eye Chilli - 10/Green chilli - 3
• Tamarind - a small piece
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
• Water - 2 tbsp
• Salt

Crush the shallots, tamarind and chillies using a mortar-pestle until the onion has started to release its juice(you can also pulse the mix in a grinder). Add coconut oil, salt ,little water and mix everything together. 

French Fries

 

An easy recipe of making French fries...

Potato - 2
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

1.Peel potatoes and cut lengthwise.
2.Add potato pieces, salt and turmeric powder in boil water for 5 minutes and strain the water.
3.When it cools down keep it in fridge
4.Fry in oil.

Beef Puttu

Ingredients 

• Beef - 1 cup (minced)
• Onion - 1/2 cup
• Ginger - 1/2 tbsp
• Garlic - 1/2 tbsp
• Tomato - 1/2 cup
• Green chilly - 4
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig (chopped)
• Coriander Powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tbsp
• Pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp(crushed)

Preparation

1.Heat oil in pan and saute onion till brown. Add minced ginger,garlic,green chilly,curry leaves and cook till soft.

2.Add all powders and fennel and mix well till spices coated with ingredients. Add tomato and cook till soft.

3.Add minced beef and salt and cook for 15 minutes. Once it is done let it cool down.

 Refer Puttu to know how to make Puttu.

4.In the puttu maker layer coconut,rice flour,beef masala again rice flour and coconut in this order.Steam it for 6-8 minutes in medium heat and remove.

Bread Rolls

 

1.Bread - 5 slices
2.Milk - 1/2 cup
3.Vegetable filling 
    Onion - 1
    Potato - 1
    Green chilly - 2
    Ginger - 1/2 tsp
    Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
    Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

1.Fry onions with ginger and green chillies. Add garam masala, pepper powder and salt to it. Then mix it well with mashed potatoes.
2.Take a flat plate and pour little cold milk and dip the bread (both sides) in the milk. Gently press with your fingers to squeeze out the milk
3.Put a teaspoon of the filling in the bread. Now close the bread gently.
4.But tightly and firmly shape into an oval shaped ball. Let it sit on a plate for a few min.
5.Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry them. When it is browned on all sides strain on a paper tissue.

Chettinad Egg Curry

 

Egg (boiled) - 2
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1 (big)
Ginger - 1 piece (finely chopped)
Garlic - 4 (finely chopped)
Green Chilly - 2
Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
Oil 1 - 2 tablespoon

 For roasting and grinding
Dry red chilly - 3
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 1 tablespoon
Black pepper corns - 1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon - 1 piece
Grated coconut - 3 tablespoon

1. Grind the tomatoes and keep it aside.
2. Boil the eggs, allow it to cool, remove the shells. Make small slits and keep it aside.
3. In a pan dry roast all the ingredients given under " for roasting and grinding". Roast it till you get a nice aroma. Transfer it to a plate and allow it to cool. Grind it to a smooth paste adding little water and keep it aside.
4. In another pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add curry leaves and saute it for a second.
5. Then add chopped onion and saute it till it turns slightly brownish in colour.
6. Now add ginger, garlic and greenchillies, saute again till the raw smell goes off. Now add the tomato paste/ chopped tomatoes and saute till the oil gets separated.
7. Now add the ground paste, and leave it for some time till the oil separates.
8. Then add half a cup of water and let it boil. Now add garam masala, and salt and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Finally add the boiled eggs and cook for another 1 - 2 minutes.
10. Egg curry is ready to be served

Seasoned Buttermilk / Moru Kachiyathu

Ingredients 

• Buttermilk – 1/2 ltr
• Small onion – 4-5
• Ginger – 2 tsp, chopped
• Green chili – 3-4
• Red chili – 2
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Mustard – 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek – a pinch
• Asafoetida - a pinch

Preparation 

1.Heat oil in a pan & splutter mustard & fenugreek seeds.

2. Add red chili, small onion, ginger, green chili, curry leaves. Fry it for 1-2 minutes.

3.Add turmeric powder,asafoetida & salt. Mix well.

4.Add buttermilk and stir. Stir continuously until the steam comes through the spatula. Dont let it boil.

Rice Dumplings / Kozhukkatta

Ingredients

• Rice flour – 1 cup
• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
• Jaggery – 1/4 cup grated or (2-3 tbsp sugar ) 
• Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp 
• Cardamom powder – A pinch 
• Ghee – 1 tsp 

Preparation

1. Mix the grated coconut, jaggery,cumin seeds and cardamom powder.

2. Add salt to the rice flour and add hot water little by little until a smooth dough is formed. Add a tsp of ghee and mix the dough well to make it extra-soft.

3. Roll the dough into medium sized balls and flatten them with your palm. Fill it with the jaggery-coconut filling and reshape it into a ball. 

4.Steam the balls in a steamer or idli cooker for about 15 – 20 minutes.

Potato Tamarind Curry

 

Potatoes - 2 (peel the skin and cut into big chunks)
Red onion - 1 chopped very finely
Tomatoes - 2 chopped very finely
Garlic - 3 cloves
Tamarind - a small lemon sized
Butter - 2 tsp's

For Tempering:

Oil - 4 tbsp's
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
Dry Red chilly - 3
Curry leaves - 10

List of Powder's:

Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Chilly Powder / Sambhar powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp's
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp


1.Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water for about 10 mins. then squeeze the tamarind pulp out and get the tamarind water ready.

2.In a thick bottomed pan, heat 4 tbsp's of oil. add mustard. when it crack's add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, garlic, red chilly and asafoetida powder. fry them for few seconds till the garlic gets sauted.

3.Now add finely chopped onions, saute them till they turn translucent. add finely chopped tomatoes. saute the tomatoes along with onions, till they mix up along. You got to saute for at least 3-4 minutes, till they mix up.

4.Add salt to taste and all the powder's mentioned in the order. fry them well for 2 mins, till the oil comes out on the sides of the pan.

5.Now add chopped potatoes and mix them well with the masala's. Add tamarind water and mix well with the potatoes. close the pan with its lid. let the flame be low so that the potatoes get cooked in.

6.After 5 minutes, open the lid, add the butter mix the curry well. add little water, as per the consistency you require and mix well. close the lid.

7.After 5 minutes, the potatoes would have cooked. you can check that by inserting a knife into the potato. if the potatoes are not cooked, cook for another 5-10 minutes and remove from flame. Now the spicy potato curry is ready.

Aval Payasam

Aval /Poha - 1/2 cup
Jaggery -1/4 cup
Milk - 2 1/2 cups (boiled)
Ghee - 2 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts -5-6
Cardamom powder -1/4 tsp
Raisins - 8-10

1. Heat a tsp of ghee in a pan and fry raisins and cashew nuts separately. Keep it aside.
2. If jaggery has impurities, dissolve it in little water and filter it.
3. Heat ghee in a pan, add aval and fry till it changes color.
4. Add boiled milk to the aval, simmer and cook till milk reduces a little. Simultaneously aval will also become soft.
5. Then add jaggery, cardamom powder, saffron, mix well and switch off the flame immediately.
6. Garnish with cashew nuts and raisin and serve hot or cold.

Note- Once you add jaggery, you should not heat or boil the milk as there are chances of the milk curdling

Rava Upma

Ingredients 

• Rava – 1 cup
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Urad dal – 2 tbsp
• Small onion – 3
• Green Chilli – 1
• Ginger – ½ tsp (finely chopped)
• Water – 1 ½ cup

Preparation

1.Heat a pan and roast rava in a moderate heat, stirring constantly, till it becomes light brown in colour. Keep the roasted rava aside.

2.Heat oil in the nonstick pan and crackle mustard seeds.

3.Add urad dal and curry leaves fry till they change color and becomes crisp. Add onion and green chilli.

4.Once onion is soft add ginger. Cook for 2-3 min.

5.Add salt and water. Mix well and wait till water starts boiling well. Add roasted rava and mix well.

6.Keep the pan closed and after 7-8 min mix well again so that no lumps are there. Serve hot.

Aloo Matar / Potato Peas Masala

Ingredients 

• Potato – 2
• Green peas – 1/4 cup
• Tomato – 2
• Onion – 1
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Red chilii powder – 2 tsp
• Coriander seeds powder – 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds  – 1tsp

Preparation

1.Chop onion finely, potatoes into small bite sized cubes and tomatoes roughly.In a small pressure cooker, add oil and splutter cumin seeds in medium heat.

2.Add onion and fry till transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry in medium flame for a minute. Add chopped potatoes and green peas, little salt. Mix well and cook covered in low flame for 2- 3 minutes. Puree the tomatoes in a blender/ mixie.

3.Mix the potatoes and peas in between once to avoid it getting burnt. Add the tomato puree and all the dry powders.Cook in medium flame, cover it  until the tomato puree becomes shiny.


4.Add a 1 cup water and mix well. Add required salt, pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame. Once done, you can adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding more water or milk and just give one boil. Garnish with lots of chopped coriander leaves.

Banana / Vazhakka Thoran

Ingredients 

• Raw banana/ Green plantains - 4
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Crushed garlic - 3 cloves
• Chopped green chiles - 2 nos
• Shallots - 5
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds -- 1/2 tsp

Preparation 

1.Peel and chop the raw banana into small pieces. Cook it covered by adding a cup water and salt , till it is done.

2.Grind grated coconut, Turmeric powder, green chillies and crushed garlic and 3 shallots to a coarse paste.

3.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When the pop up add cumin seeds and curry leaves and chopped shallots and fry it for a minute.

4.Add cooked raw plantains and combine it with the coconut mix. saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.