Cranberry Pickle - Indian Style

Ingredients

150gm cranberry, washed and wiped, cut lengthwise into two
12 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
4 or 5 green chillies, chopped
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp roasted fenugreek, powdered
2 or 3 pinches of asafoetida
3 tbsp gingerly oil/sesame oil
11/2 tsp vinegar
salt as required

Preparation

1. Heat the gingerly oil in a kadai. Add the garlic and chopped green chillies to this and saute in low heat until the raw smell goes.

2. Now add the red chilli powder, kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to this and saute for 3 or minutes and turn off the heat.

3. Add cranberries, fenugreek powder and asafoetida to this and mix well. Let it cool down.

4. Once the pickle is completely cooled down, add vinegar to this and mix well. Store it in an airtight container.

Boondi Ladoo - Diwali Special

Ingredients (To make 40-45 ladoos)

3 cups gram flour/besan
3 cups sugar
21/4 cups water for making sugar syrup + water enough to make the batter
3 tsp ghee/clarified butter
10 cardamom, powdered
2 tbsp cashew nuts
2 tbsp raisins

Preparation

1. Take gram flour in a mixing bowl. Add water little by little to this and mix well without forming lumps. Make a batter with the consistency as that of dosa batter.

2. To fry the boondis, heat oil in a bottom thick pan.

3. To check if the consitency of the batter is perfect, mix the batter with the handle of a small spoon and hold it on top of the hot oil. If the batter forms a round ball in the oil, the batter is of the right consistency. If it forms a long drop, that means water is less. Add 1 tbsp of water to this batter and mix well and test the consistency again. If it forms a thin ball, add 1 tbsp of gram flour to the batter and mix well.

4. Pour a ladle of batter to the perforated ladle and keep it on top of the hot oil. Let the boondis fall in the oil. Once the boondis are half fried, take them out and keep aside. Repeat the same for the remaining batter. For each batch of batter, wash and wipe the perforated ladle  before using to get perfect boondis.

5. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashewnuts, cardamom powder and rasins. Keep aside. Save the ghee also.

6. To make sugar syrup, take sugar and 21/4 cups of water in a heavy bottom pan. Heat it and let the sugar completely dissolve it water. Stir  occasionally till in completely dissolves.

7. Now let the sugar syrup boil till it reaches one string consistency. Do not stir at this stage. Turn off the heat.

8. Add the fried boondis to this sugar syrup and mix well.

9. Now add the fried cashew nuts, raisins, cardamom powder and the ghee to this boondi-sugar mix . Mix well.

10. When this mix is lukewarm, using your hands make balls of desired size and store it in an air tight container.

Thanks to Soumya for these yummy ladoos :)

Omappodi / Sev - An Easy Snack for Diwali

Ingredients

2 cups gram flour/besan

6 tsp rice flour

1/2 tbsp carom/ajvain/omam

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1 tsp red chilli powder

water as required

salt to taste

oil to fry

Preparation

1. Dry roast the carom in medium heat for 2-3 minutes till a nice aroma comes. 

2. Now adding 1 tsp of water, grind the roasted carom to a smooth paste.

3. In a mixing bowl take the gram flour. Add rice flour, asafoetida, chilli powder, salt and the carom paste to it. Mix well.

4. Add water little by little to this and knead well to make smooth and soft dough with the consistency as that of noolappam/idiyappam dough.

5. Heat oil in a large kadai. In the meantime , fill the idiyappam/sev  maker with a large ball of dough after putting the sev disc in it.

6. Once the oil is hot enough, press the dough to the oil in circular motion. Once it is cooked on one side, turn over to the other side. Fry in low heat till they turn yellow in color. Take out from oil and drain in on kitchen towel.

7. Once it cools down, store it in an air tight container. 

Thanks to Soumya for the recipe!

Trivandrum Style Paripp Curry / Green gram curry

Ingredients

1/2 cup green gram
salt to taste
water as required
2 tsp coconut oil
a twig of curry leaves

To grind

1/4 cup grated coconut
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves
6 or 7 curry leaves
1/4 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
water as required

Preparation

1. Dry roast the green gram in medium heat until its color slightly changes and let it cool down. (Do not let it turn to brown color).

2. Using a mixer, lightly crush the roasted green gram.

3. Now wash it in water 2 or 3 times to partially remove the husk and drain it out.

4. Add this in a pressure cooker along with salt and enough water. Pressure cook it in medium heat for 2-3 whistles. Turn off the heat and let the pressure release.

5. Grind all the ingredients mentioned in the 'to grind' section to a coarse paste and add this to the cooked green gram. If the mixture is very thick, add water to this as required. Add salt also if needed. Mix well.

6. Now cook it in medium heat until the curry slightly bubbles.( No need to boil it). Turn off the heat . Add 2 tsp coconut oil and a few curry leaves to it and mix well.

Rice with paripp curry and pappadam is the best combination.

Somas - A Diwali Sweet

Ingredients (To make 20-22 somas)

2 cups of all purpose flour
2 tsp semolina/rava
4 tbsp butter, melted
a pinch of salt
water as required

For the filling

1/2 cup semoina/rava
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup sugar or as required
10 cardamom pods
10 cashew nuts
1 tbsp butter or ghee

Preparation

For the filling

1. Dry roast the semolina in low heat until they turn light yellow in color. Keep it aside.

2. Now dry roast the grated coconut until all the moisture evaporates and they become dry. Keep it aside.

3. Heat butter or ghee in a pan and roast the cashew nuts. Crush them to small pieces.

4. Grind the sugar along with cardamom to a fine powder.

5. Add the roasted semolina, coconut, cashew nuts and the powdered sugar and cardamom in a bowl and mix well. Allow them to cool down. This is the filling for somas.

To prepare the dough

1. In a large mixing bowl add the all purpose flour, semolina, salt and melted warm butter and mix well.

2. Add water to this little by little and knead it well to get a smooth and stiff dough.

3. Take small balls of dough and knead them into thin circular shaped pooris using a rolling pin.

4. Place 11/2 tbsp of the filling we prepared in the center of each poori. Apply a little water on the edges of the pooris and gently fold them. Seal the corners and sides of the pooris as shown in the picture. The water will help the edges to stick together.

5. Using a pizza cutter or knife, trim the edges of the somas to make proper semi circular shapes. Using a fork or knife make impressions on the edges as shown in the picture.

6. Heat oil in kadai. Once the oil is hot enough put the prepared somas into it and deep fry them in medium heat by turning both sides. Fry until they turn golden brown in color.

7. Drain them on a kitchen towel and let it cool completely. Store them in an air tight container.

Thanks to Soumya for the recipe :)

Cheeda/Kaliyadakka - A Savoury Snack

Ingredients

2 cups of rice powder
2 tsp urad dal flour
4 tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp black sesame seeds
salt to taste
water as required

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl take the rice powder, urad dal flour, salt,black sesame seeds and melted warm butter. Mix them together.

2. Add water little by little to this and knead it into a smooth and thick dough with the consistency as that of chappathi dough.

3. Take small portion of dough. With your palms make marble sized smooth balls out of it as shown in the picture. Arrange them on a tray or plate.

4. Heat oil in a large kadai. Once the oil is hot enough drop these balls carefully into the the oil and deep fry them in low-medium heat until they turn golden yellow in color.

5. Drain them on a kitchen towel and let them cool. Store the cheefs in an airtight container.

Recipe Courtesy : Soumya

Ribbon Pakkavada - Diwali Special

Ingredients

2 cups of rice powder
1 cup besan/gram flour
6 cloves of garlic
6 dried red chillies, soaked in water
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
4 tbsp butter, melted
salt to taste
6 tbsp water
warm water as required
oil to fry

Preparation

1. In a large bowl take the rice powder, gram flour, melted butter(warm) and salt. Mix well.

2. Grind the dried red chillies, garlic and fennel seeds in a blender adding 6 tbsp of water. Using a strainer, strain the juice and add this also to the bowl and mix again.

3. Now add warm water little by little to this and knead well to get the smooth dough. The consistency should be same as that of chappathi dough.  Keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a large kadai. In the meantime , fill the idiyappam maker with a large ball of dough after putting the ribbon pakkavada disc in it.

5. Once the oil is hot enough, press the dough to the oil in circular motion and fry until they turn golden color. Drain it on a kitchen towel and allow it to cool completely.

Serve with warm tea.

Thanks to Soumya for the recipe:)

Coriander Chicken

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cleaned and cut into small pieces (approximately 1.5 lb)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp oil/ghee
salt to taste

To marinate

1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste

To grind

11/2 cups chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup grated coconut
10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 inch ginger, roughly chopped
4-5 green chillies, roughly chopped
1 tomato, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped

Preparation

1. Marinate the chicken with the ingredients mentioned in the "to marinate" section and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

2. Grind all the ingredients mentioned in the "to grind" section to a smooth paste and keep it aside.

3. Heat oil/ghee  in a kadai.  Add the chopped onions to this and saute until they turn golden brown in color.

4. Now add the marinated chicken to this and mix well. Cover the kadai with a lid and allow it to cook for 10 minutes in medium flame (No need to add water as chicken will cook in it's own water).

5.  Now add the ground smooth paste to the chicken and mix well. Add salt as required. Cover it with the lid and cook for another 10 minutes in medium flame.

6. Remove the lid and cook until the chicken is completely cooked and the gravy has reached your required consistency. 

Malai Kofta

Ingredients

For the kofta

150 gm paneer/cheese, grated
2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
21/2 tbs corn flour
1/2  tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp raisins
salt to taste
oil as required

For the gravy

1 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp cashew nuts, ground to smooth paste
1 cup milk
3 tbsp cream
1 tsp sugar

To saute and grind

5 cloves
4 cardamom
1 small cinnamon stick
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1  tsp chilli powder
1  tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
11/2 tsp garam masala
2 medium tomates, chopped
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

Preparation

For the kofta

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions along with salt to the oil and saute until they turn light brown in color.

2. Add ginger paste and garlic paste to this and saute for 2 minutes.

3. To this add chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala . Saute for 2 more minutes.

4. Now add  the grated carrot to this and mix well. Turn off the heat and allow the sauted mix to cool down.

5. Take grated paneer, mashed potatoes , raisin,corn flour and chopped coriander leaves in  a large bowl and mix well.

6. Add the sauted mix and salt as required to this and knead into a smooth dough.

7. Make ball or log shaped koftas from this dough .

8. Heat oil in a kadai . Deep fry the koftas in medium-high flame until they turn light brown in color. Drain and keep them on a kitchen towel.

(If the koftas  break in the oil, add 1 or more tbsp of corn flour to the dough and knead it well).

For the gravy

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick to this and saute for a minute.

2. Now add chopped onions to this and saute until they become translucent.

3. Add ginger and garlic paste to this and saute for 2 minutes.

4. Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala to this. Mix well and saute for a minute.

5. Add chopped tomatoes  and salt as required to this and saute until they turn soft. Turn off the heat and allow the gravy to cool down.

6. Once the gravy has cooled down, grind it into a smooth paste.

7. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadai. Add the ground paste to it and saute for 4 -5 minutes.

8. Now add the cashew nut paste, milk and cream to this and adjust salt as required. Cook in low flame until the gravy gets a creamy consistency.

9. Now add sugar and kasuri methi to this and mix well.

10. Add the fried koftas to the gravy and cook for 2 minutes in low flame.

11. Turn off the heat and add the chopped  coriander leaves. Mix gently.

12. Allow the malai kofta to rest for atleast 30 minutes prior to serving so that koftas will abosrb and blend with the gravy.

Kerala Style Mathi Fry/Sardine Fry

Ingredients

4 or 5 sardines/mathi
2 tbsp coconut oil

To Marinate

1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp ginger paste
salt to taste
a twig of curry leaves, hand crushed
water as required

To clean the fish

1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp salt

Preparation

1. Wash and clean the sardines well. Rub it with lemon juice  and salt. Keep aside for 10- 15 minutes and wash well 2-3 times . Make 2 or 3  gashes on both sides of the fish.

2. Mix all the ingredients mentioned in the "to marinate" section to a thick smooth paste and marinate the sardines evenly with it. Keep it aside for 30 minutes. ( While marinating, rub with marinate inside the sardine stomach and gashes)

3.  Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. When oil is hot, place the sardines gently on it and fry both the sides in medium heat until they are done.

Serve warm with rice and other curries. 

Kadachakka Masala Fry/Bread Fruit Masala Fry

Ingredients

1 bread fruit, sliced into thin pieces

To marinate

1 tsp red chilli powder
11/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
water as required

To Fry

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 or 3 dry red chillies
a twig of curry leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil

Preparaion

1. Mix all the ingredients mentioned in the "to marinate" section to a thick smooth paste. Marinate the bread fruit sliced with this paste and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add mustard seeds to it. Once it splutters add the curry leaved and dry red chillies.

3. Once the chillies turn its color, add the bread fruit slices to the pan and  stir fry for 2 minutes.

4. Now close the pan with a lid and cook in medium flame for 10 minutes. Then remove the lid and fry the bread fruit on low  flame until they turn light brown in color and turn off the heat.( Stir occasionally).

Kerala Style Beef Fry

Ingredients

To marinate and cook the beef

1 lb beef, cleaned and cut into small cubes
20-25 pearl onions, sliced
1 cup coconut, cut into bite size pieces
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp garam masala
salt to taste
2 tbsp water for pressure cooking the beef

To fry the beef

1 medium size onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp red chilli flakes
2 green chillies, sliced
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp pepper powder
5 or 6 twigs of curry leaves
salt to taste
3 tbsp or more coconut oil
a twig of curry leaves

Preparation

1. Marinate the beef pieces with all the ingredients except water mentioned in the "To marinate the beef" section and keep aside for an hour.

2. Pressure cook the beef in medium flame till the beef is cooked well by adding 2 tbsp of water.

3. Once the pressure releases, open the cooker. If there is excess water in the cooker, cook until the water evaporates and the gravy is completely thick.

4. Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil in a kadai. Add curry leaves to the oil and fry for a minute.

5. To this add sliced onion, green chillies, ginger paste and garlic paste and saute till the onions turn golden brown in color.

5. Now add red chilli flakes and pepper powder to this and saute for 2 minutes.

6. At this stage, you can add the cooked beef to this. Mix well and add more salt if required. Fry the beef on low flame until the beef turn dark brown/black in color. Stir occasionally. (If the beef becomes dry add more coconut oil)

7. Turn off the heat and add curry leaves. Mix well.

Mullu Murukk

Ingredients (to make 50-55 murukk)

5 cups of rice flour, sieved
1 cup skinless black gram/urad dal
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste

50 gm butter

400 ml coconut milk
water as required

Preparaion

1. Dry roast black gram in low flame until it starts changing the color. Grind it into fine powder and sieve it.

2. Add the rice flour, black gram powder, red chilli powder, cumin seeds and salt in a large bowl and mix well.

3. Melt butter in a pan. Add it to the bowl and using hand knead it well.

5. Add coconut milk to this and knead well.

4. To this add water little by little and knead to make a not too tight-not too soft dough. It should be soft and pliable.

5. Grease murukk maker and the star shaped plate(achu) with oil and put a large ball of dough in it.

6. Pipe in the dough in spiral shape on a greased plastic sheet or aluminium foil.

7. Heat oil in a kadai in medium heat. When the oil is hot, drop the shaped murukk in oil. Fry the murukk until they turn light brown in color. (Turn the murukk occasionally to get it cooked uniformly).

8. Remove murukk from oil. Drain it on kitchen towel and allow them to cool.

9. Once the murukk is cool, store it in an air-tight container.

Masala Stuffed Bread Rolls/Masala Stuffed Bread Pakora

Ingredients

10 slices of white bread, edges trimmed off
oil to deep fry
1 bowl of water to dip the bread slices

For the masala

3 medium size potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
2 green chillies, finely chopped
4 tbsp fresh green peas (if you are using the dried green peas, boil it)
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 pinches of dried mango powder/amchoor (optional)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Preparation

For the masala

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds to it. Once it splutters, add chopped onion, ginger, green chillies, green peas and salt to it . Saute for 5 minutes on medium flame.

2. To this add the mango powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala. Mix well and saute for another 2 minutes.

3. Now add mashed potatoes to this and mix  well. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add more salt if required.

4. Turn off the heat . Add chopped coriander leaves to the masala and mix gently. Allow it to cool down.

5.  Take a small lemon size ball of masala in your hand and roll it in oval shape. Likewise, make 10 masala balls.

To make stuffed bread rolls

1. Take each slice of bread and dip one side of the bread lightly in water.

2. Using your palms, press the bread slice well to squeeze out the excess water.

3.  Place the oval shaped masala filling in the center of the bread and cover it completely giving an oval shape. Similarly make all the stuffed bread rolls and keep aside for 10 minutes.

To see how to make this shape, see my post unnakkaya .

To deep fry the bread rolls

1. Heat oil in the kadai on medium flame. Put the stuffed bread rolls in oil carefully.

2. Fry the bread rolls until they turn golden brown in color and drain them on a kitchen towel (While frying, turn them occasionally so that all the sides are fried evenly).

Serve hot with tea.

Mutton Sukka / Mutton Chukka / Dry Mutton Masala

Ingredients

2 lb mutton, cut into small pieces
2 large onions, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
3 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cardamom pods
a twig of curry leaves
salt to taste
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mutton masala powder/garam masala

To pressure cook

1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1 pinch turmeric powder
1/4 tsp ginger  paste
1/4 tsp garlic paste
6 nos whole black pepper
1/2 tomato, sliced
water, enough to cover the mutton pieces
salt to taste

Preparation

1. In a pressure cooker, add all the ingredients mentioned in the "to pressure cook" section along with the mutton. Pressure cook in high flame for 5 whistles. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release.

2. In the mean time, heat oil in a kadai. Add cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and curry leaves to it and saute for a minute.

3. To this, add chopped onions and green chillies along with ginger garlic paste and salt. Saute until it turns golden brown in color.

4. Now add the chopped tomatoes to this and saute until they become soft.

5. Add red chilli podwer, coriander powder, turmeric powder and mutton masala at this stage and saute the masala for 3  minutes in low heat.

6. Drain the cooked mutton and save the gravy for later use.

7. Now add the mutton pieces in the kadai and mix it well with the masala and saute for 5 minutes in medium heat.

8. Add half of the gravy to this and adjust the salt if required. Cook in medium flame till the gravy becomes dry stirring  occasionally.

9. Add the remaining gravy at this stage and cook in high flame till the gravy becomes dry stirring continuously.

10. Once the gravy is thick, add the chopped coriander leaves, pepper powder and cumin powder. Mix well and turn off the heat.

Mango Milk Shake

Ingredients (Serves 2)

1 ripe mango, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cups of chilled milk
2 or 3 ice cubes
sugar as required (optional, considering the sweetness of mango)
a pinch of cardamom powder(optional)

Preparation

1. Put all the ingredients mentioned above in a blender and blend it till smooth.

2. Serve chilled.

Trivandrum Style Kothamara Thoran / Guar Beans Stir Fry

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped guar beans
1/2 onion, finely  chopped
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
11/2 tbsp rice
2 dry red chillies
a twig of curry leaves
salt to taste

To grind

1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 tbsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4 or 5 shallots
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
3 or 4 curry leaves

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds to it. Once it splutter, add dry red chillies and curry leaves to it along with rice.

2. Once the rice puff up and turn light brown in color add the chopped guar beans and onion to this along with salt. Saute for a minute and then cover the kadai with a lid and allow to cook in low flame. Stir  occasionally . 

3. In the mean time take all the ingredients mentioned in the "to grind" section in a blender and grind to a coarse mixture without adding water and keep aside.

4. Once the beans are half cooked , add the ground coconut mix to it and mix well. Adjust the salt. Cover the kadai with lid and cook for 3-4 minutes. 

5. Now remove the lid and stir fry in low heat for 10 minutes stirring it continuously to avoid burning. Turn off the heat.

Kothamara thoran is ready!!

Unakka Chemmeen Chathachath / Crushed Dry Shrimp

Ingredients

75 gms of dry shrimp
20 pearl onions
2 tbsp crushed dry red chillies
2 tbsp + 1 tsp coconut oil
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Dry roast the dry shrimp and crush them to tiny pieces and keep aside. (2 or 3 quick pulse in a mixer will give the right consistency).

2. Grind the pearl onions to a coarse paste and keep aside.

3. Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a pan and fry the crushed red chillies till they change the color. Now grind it to a smooth paste.

4. Take the crushed dry shrimp, pearl onion paste, the red chilli paste in a bowl. Add salt and 2 tbsp coconut oil and mix  thoroughly  with hand.

The unakka chemmeen chathachath is ready. It goes well with rice and curd based curries.

Watermelon Rind - Dal Curry

Ingredients

11/2 cup Watermelon rind,cut into medium cubes
1 cup toor dal, washed throughly
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
water as required

For grinding

1/4 cup grated coconut
6 pearl onions
1/4 fennel seeds
4 or 5 curry leaves
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
2 green chillies
water as required

For seasoning

11/2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3 dry red chillies
5 or 6 pearl onions, thinly sliced
a twig of curry leaves


How to clean and cut the watermelon rind?

Cut the watermelon into two halves and scoop out the entire red flesh. Peel off the thick green skin and cut the rind into medium size cubes. 

Preparation

1. Pressure cook toor dal along with water melon rind, turmeric powder and salt.

2. Meanwhile, grind all the ingredients mentioned in the "for grinding" section to a thick smooth paste.

3. Add the coconut paste to the cooked dal and allow it to boil once in low flame and turn off the heat (After adding coconut paste, if the curry is too thick, you can add some water. Also, adjust the salt).

4. Now heat oil in a kadai. Add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter add the dry red chilliies, curry leaves and sliced pearl onions and saute until onions turn light brown in color and pour this to the curry.

Trivandrum Style Beetroot Thoran / Beetroot Stir Fry

Ingredients (Serves 3-4 people)

1 large beetroot, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp urad dal
2 dry red chillies
a twig of curry leaves
2 tbsp water
salt to taste

To grind

1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 tbsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4 or 5 shallots
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
3 or 4 curry leaves

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds to the oil. Once it splutters add urad dal, dry red chillies and curry leaves.

2. Once the urad dal turns light brown in color, add the chopped beetroot along with salt. Add 2 tbsp water and mix well. Cover the kadai with a lid and cook in low flame. Stir  occasionally.

3. When the beetroot is half cooked, add chopped onion with this and again cover the pan with lid and cook in low flame.

4. In the mean time take all the ingredients mentioned in the "to grind" section in a blender and grind to a coarse mixture without adding water.

5. Once the beetroot and onion is soft, add this ground mixture to it and mix well. Again close the kadai with lid and cook in low flame for 5 minutes or until the beetroot is completely cooked, stirring  occasionally.

6. Now remove the lid and stir fry 5 more minute stirring continuously.

7. Turn off the heat and serve warm as a side dish.

Pressure Cooker Mutton Biriyani

Ingredients

For the Rice & Masala

3 cups of basmati rice
2 large onions, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
3 green chillies, cut lengthwise
1/4 tsp ginger paste
1/4 tsp garlic paste
a little less than 1/4 cup of chopped mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
4 cardamoms
4 cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves, hand crushed
2 tsp biriyani Masala ( I used the *homemade biriyani masala)
2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
water as required
2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter
1 tbsp oil

To pressure cook the Mutton

2 lb mutton, cut into medium size pieces

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin seeds(optional)
water just enough to cover the mutton
salt to taste


* To make the home made biriyani masala

 6 cloves
 5 cinnamon sticks
 6 bay leaves
 1/4 tsp fennel seeds

1.  Dry roast all the ingredients in low heat until they turn a little crispy. Be careful not to burn the spices.

2.  Grind in a blender to fine powder.

If you make some extra biriyani masala, you can store it in an airtight container. It will stay good for 2 months.

Preparation

1. Wash the rice well. Drain the rice in a strainer and keep aside. Allow it to air dry.

2. In a pressure cooker, add mutton along with ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric powder, cumin seeds , salt and water just enough to cover the mutton. Pressure cook the mutton in medium flame until it is completely cooked. (For me it needed 6 whistles). Allow it to cool.

3. Mean time, heat the ghee and oil in a kadai. To this add cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and bay leaves and saute for 2 minutes in medium flame.

4. To this add the sliced onions and saute until they turn golden brown.

5. Now add the sliced tomatoes to this and saute until the tomatoes turn soft.

6. Add the chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves to this and saute until the raw smell goes.

7. To make the masala, you can add chilli powder, turmeric powder, biriyani masala and salt to this. Mix well and saute in low flame for 4-5 minutes and keep aside.

8. Now separate the pressure cooked mutton pieces from the gravy. Add them to the masala and mix well. Cook it for another 2-3 minutes in low flame. You can save the gravy for cooking the rice.

9. Rice to water ratio for cooking the rice is 1:1 1/2. Since we are cooking 3 cups of rice we need 41/2 cups of water. Measure the gravy you have saved and add required amount of water to make it 41/2 cups.

10. Transfer the masala, rice and 41/2 cups of water-gravy mix to a pressure cooker and mix well. If needed, add salt at this stage. Now Pressure cook it in low flame for 1 whistle and turn off the heat. Let the pressure go off.

The easy mutton biriyani is ready.

Note : You can cook the rice in a rice cooker also. For this transfer the masala rice and water to the rice cooker and cook it in white rice mode.

Uzhunnu Vada / Medu Vada and Coconut Chutney

Ingredients (To Make 10 nos)

1 cup black gram (urad dal)
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1/2 medium size onion, chopped (optional)
2 tbsp chopped carrot (Optional)
5 green chillies, finely chopped
A twig of curry leaves, roughly chopped

2 pinches of baking soda

Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
2 cups of water for soaking the black gram + a few table spoon of water for grinding if required

Preparation

1. Soak the urad dal in water for 30-40 minutes. (If you soak more than this time, it will absorb a lot of oil while frying).

2. Drain and grind the urad dal to a thick smooth batter. Avoid adding water as much as possible.  Transfer the batter to a bowl.

3. To this batter add the chopped ginger, onion, carrot,green chillies, baking soda and salt and mix well. You have to use the batter right away to make the vada.

4. Heat oil in kadai in medium flame.

5. To make vadas, wet your hand and take a medium lemon size ball of batter on your hand. Give it a round shape and make a hole in the center using your thumb.

6. Once the oil is hot enough, slide these vadas carefully to the oil as soon as you make it.

7. Fry the vadas until they turn golden brown in color on both sides.

8. Take out the vadas from oil and drain them on kitchen towel.

Serve them hot/warm with coconut chutney.

How to make coconut chutney?

Ingredients

1 tsp coconut oil

To Grind

1 cup grated coconut
4 green chillies
6 or 7 pearl onions
5 or 6 curry leaves
salt to taste
3 tbsp water

Preparation

1. Grind all the ingredients mentioned in the 'to grind' section to a smooth paste. (You can add more water if required to grind it).

2. Move the chutney to a bowl.

3. Add coconut oil to the chutney and mix well.

The coconut chutney is ready.

Masala Dosa (Indian Coffee House Style)

Ingredients

Dosa batter to make 10 dosa
ghee or oil as required

For the masala

2 medium potatoes, peeled
2 medium beetroot, peeled
1 carrot peeled
1 medium onion, sliced
4 green chillies, thinly chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3 pinches of garam masala
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
a few curry leaves
salt to taste
oil as required
water left after pressure cooking the vegetables

Preparation

1. Pressure cook the peeled potatoes, beetroot and carrot. Once it is cool, mash them coarsely and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in kadai. Add the urad dal and mustard seeds to this. Once it splutters, add the sliced onion, green chillies,ginger paste and curry leaves along with salt and saute well

3. Once the onions turn soft, add the turmeric powder, kashmiri chilli powder and garam masala to this. Mix and saute in low heat flame for 2 minutes.

4. Now add the mashed vegetables to this. Adjust the salt at this stage. Mix well and cook for a minutes in low flame. Turn off the heat.

If the masala is too thick, add 2 tbsp of water and mix well.

To make masala dosa

1. Heat the non-stick dosa tawa in medium flame. Once it is hot, pour a ladle full of dosa batter on the tawa and spread it evenly in a circular motion from inside out.

2. Add a little ghee around the edges of the dosa.

3. Once the dosa is dry and edges turn light brown in color, put 2 tbsp of masala in the center and spread it.

4. Now fold both sides of the dosa to the mixture.

5. Remove from the heat and indian coffee house style masala dosa is ready to be served