Nadan Meen Curry / Fish Curry without Coconut

Ingredients

750 gm King Fish
4 medium gamboogi / Kudampuli
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a large pinch of fenugreek seeds

7-8 curry leaves
10 pearl onions, chopped
6 or 7 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 inch ginger, chopped
3 or 4 green chillies, slit open

2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
11/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste
a twig of curry leaves
1 tsp coconut oil
1 cup warm water
water as required

Preparation

1. Clean and cut the fish into medium size pieces and keep aside.

2. Soak the kudampuli in 1 cup of warm water and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in earthen pot(manchatti). Add mustard seeds to this. Once it splutters, add fenugreek seeds and fry them in medium heat until they turn light red in color.

4. Now add the curry leaves, chopped pearl onions,garlic ginger and green chillies to this and saute until the raw smell goes.

5. Take the kashmiri chilli powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in a bowl. Adding 4 or 5 tbsp of water make a smooth paste and add this to the manchatti and fry until the oil separates.

6. Now add the kudampuli along with water and salt to this and bring to boil. If you need more gravy ,you can add more water at this stage.

7. Add the fish pieced to this and cook in medium heat till the fish is well cooked.

8. Add 1 tsp coconut oil and a twig of curry leaves to this and mix gently. The fish curry is ready.

Mutta Pola - A Malabar Snack

Ingredients

4 eggs
1.5 tbsp all purpose flour
20 tsp sugar (5 tsp sugar per egg)
a large pinch of cardamom powder

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven at 250 degree Fahrenheit temperature for 10 minutes.

2. Beat the eggs, sugar and cardamom powder until it becomes light, fluffy and double in quantity. It may take a while.

3. Once you get the right consistency, add maida little by little and mix it slowly . Do not over mix.

4. Butter a nonstick pan. Pour the prepared batter into the pan and cover it with a lid.

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cake is completely cooked. You can see whether it is cooked by inserting fork in the cake. (Instead of the nonstick pan, you can use a baking tray also. Cover it with an aluminium foil then)

6. Once the cake is completely cooled down, you can cut it into required shapes.

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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.

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:)

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.

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

Kerala Style Chicken Fry / Kozhi Porichath

Ingredients

1 lb skinless chicken, cut into small pieces, washed and drained
2 inch ginger, ground into coarse paste
12 garlic cloves, ground into coarse paste
a twig of curry leaves, hand-crushed
Coconut oil to deep fry the chicken

To marinate

2 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp garam masala
11/2 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp yogurt
salt to taste
water as required to make a smooth paste

Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients mentioned in the to marinate section to make a smooth thick paste.

2. Marinate the chicken pieces with this paste and keep it refrigerated at least for 3 hours (Keep refrigerated overnight for best results).

3. Take out the chicken from refrigerator before frying.  Add the freshly ground garlic, ginger and crushed curry leaves to the chicken and mix well. Keep outside for 15 minutes.

4. Heat the coconut oil in a kadai. Add the chicken pieces in batches and deep fry the them in medium heat . Turn the pieces in between and fry them until all the sides turn golden brown in color.

5. Drain the fried chicken pieces in a kitchen towel.

It goes well with rice or indian bread.

Nadan Kozhi Curry/Chicken Curry

Ingredients

1.5 lb skinless chicken with bones cut into small pieces, washed and drained
3 medium onion, chopped
4 green chillies, slit open
12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
11/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
41/2 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
4 tbsp coriander powder
21/2 tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp vinegar
2 cups of coconut milk
1/2 cup of water
2 tbsp coconut oil
a twig of curry leaves
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat oil in kadai. Add the chopped onions, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies to it and saute until the onions turn golden brown in color.

2. Add kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala to this and saute continuously in low heat for 10 minutes.

3. Add the chicken pieces, salt and vinegar to this and mix  thoroughly. Now cover it with a lid and cook in medium heat until the chicken is cooked well.

4. Now add coconut milk along with water to this and cook in low flame for 10 minutes. Adjust the salt if required.

5. Turn off the heat and that is it. The chicken curry is ready to be served.

Kerala Style Fish Curry with Raw Mangoes / Manga Itta Meen Curry

Ingredients

1 lb fish ,cleaned and cut into small pieces (preferably king fish or pomfret)
1 cup grated coconut
2 tbsp red chilli powder
1 3/4 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 portion of a big mango, sliced into medium pieces (You can add more if you like sourness)
2 or 3 green chillies, cut lengthwise
1 cup water
salt to taste
2 tbsp coconut oil

For tempering

3 tbsp coconut oil
6 or 7 small onions, thinly sliced
a twig of curry leaves

Preparation

1. In a blender add the grated coconut, red chili powder and coriander powder. Blend well to get a smooth paste and keep aside.

2. Heat coconut oil in a earthen pot and asd the fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds to this. Once it splutters, reduce the flame to low and pour the ground coconut paste to the pot.

3. Add water and salt to this and mix well.

4. Now add the sliced raw mango,tomato and green chillies to it and cook in medium heat.

5. Once the curry starts to boil and mangoes are cooked enough, add the fish pieces and cook in low heat until the fish is cooked well and the gravy thickens up. Turn off the heat.

6. For tempering , heat coconut oil in a pan and add pearl onions and curry leaves. Saute until they turn light brown in color. Add this to the curry.

7. Cover the fish curry with a lid and keep aside for 30 minutes to enable the flavors to seep inside the fish.

Unnakkaya - An Authentic Malabar Snack

Ingredients

3 riped plantains / Nenthrappazham (It should not be over riped)
1/2 cup grated coconut
2 tbsp chopped cashew nuts
2 tbsp raisins
4 or 5  cardamom, powdered
5 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp ghee or butter
coconut oil to deep fry

Preparation

1. Steam the plantains until they are well cooked and turn soft. Instead of steaming, you can  cook the plantains with water also.

2. Peel the plantains and remove the black seeds inside.

3. Grind it into a smooth paste without adding water and keep aside(Consistency should be same as that of chappathi dough. If the paste is a little loose refrigerate for a while or add some rice powder to it and mix well).

4. To make the stuffing, heat the ghee or butter in a pan. Fry the cashews and raisins until they turn brown.

5. To this add the grated coconut, sugar and cardamom powder and saute for another 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame. Turn off the heat and let it cool.

6. To prepare the unnakkaya, grease your hands with some ghee and make lemon size ball with the banana dough.Flatten it in on ur palm and put 1 tbsp of filling in the center.  Close all the ends carefully with two hands and roll it to make the shape as shown in the picture.

7. Heat oil in kadai in medium flame. Fry the prepared unnakkaya 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 uniformly fried).

Serve warm with tea!!

Raw Date Pickle

Ingredients

1 pound raw date, seeded and chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
4 or 5 green chillies, finely chopped
21/2 tsp fenugreek seeds, dry roasted and powdered
2 tsp red chilly powder
2 tsp kashmiri chilly powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
salt to taste
4 tbsp sesame oil
5 tbsp + 1 tsp vinegar

Preparation

1. Heat the sesame oil in a kadai. Add the fenugreek powder along with the chopped ginger and green chillies and saute in low heat until the raw smell goes.

2. At this stage, add the red chilly powder, kashmiri chilly powder and mix well. Saute until the oil separates.

3. To this add vinegar and salt.Stir well and allow it to boil in medium heat.

4. Once gravy has thickened up, turn the heat low and add the chopped dates to it along with asafoetida powder. Mix well and turn off the heat.

5. Once the pickle is cool, add 1 tsp of vinegar to it and mix well. Store it in a clean and dry bottle.

You can start using the pickle from the next day!!