Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:
Pottukadala(Dahlia Dal(dry)) : 1/2 cup
Grated cocunut : 4 tbsp
Red chillies :4 nos
Water : 1 cup
Salt : as reqd
Ginger : 1/4''


Seasoning:
Coconut oil : 1 tbsp
ChannaDal(kadalaparippu) : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Curry leaves : a few
Red chillies : a few broken
Method:           
             Grind dahlia dal,coconut,redchillies,ginger,salt and water.Make it a fine paste.If u
want the chutney to be more watery u can add more water..Transfer this paste into a bowl.
            In a kadai add oil,once the oil is hot add mustard seeds.once the mustard seeds splutter
add channa dal,red chillies and curry leaves.Now just pour this seasoning above the chutney.

NB:Instead of Red chillies u can use green chillies also..then the chutney will be green in color...

Enjoy this delicous chutney with dosa ,idli or uthappam!!!!!!

VenPongal

 Ingredients:
Raw rice- 1 cup
Split moong dal(yellow)- 1/2 cup
Water- 3 cups
Milk- 1 cup
Salt - as reqd
Cashews- 5  no:
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Peppercorns- 1 tsp
Ginger- 2 " (chopped)
Curry leaves- few

Mehod:
                    Wash and strain rice and dal together.....Pressure cook rice,dal,milk, salt and water.Cook it for one whistle. Once the pressure is gone,slightly  mash the pongal. Keep it aside.
                     Now in a pan add ghee.Once the ghee is hot add cashews, cumin seeds,peppercorns, ginger and curry leaves. Add this to the pressure cooked mixture and mix it well.

Enjoy this simple pongal with sambhar and pappad...

Vankai Kura/Andhra Brinjal Curry

 Ingredients:
Brinjal Fry:
Brinjal : 8-10 nos:(small size)
Redchilli powder:1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt: as reqd
Oil  : for frying

Curry:
Corriander leaves: a small bunch
Grated coconut : 3 tbsp
Ginger: 1"
Garlic : 3 cloves
Onion: 1no:(chopped)
Green chillies:5 no:
Whole cashews : 10 no:
Amchur Powder :1/4 tsp
Curry leaves: as reqd
Cloves:4 nos
Cinnamon bark: 1/2"
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Ghee: 2 tbsp
Garam Masala:1 tsp
Salt : as reqd

Method:
            In a bowl mix chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt.Cut the Brinjals as shown in the pic
and fill it with the mixture.In a pan add oil and shallow fry the brinjal in medium flame.Pan should be
covered with a lid.In 5 - 10 minutes rotate the brinjal.Fry the brinjal until the outer layer is firied and
inner layer is cooked.

            In a blender add corriander leaves,coconut,green chillies,ginger,garlic ,amchur powder,cashews,
Onion(1/4),and 1 cup water.Make a fine paste out of it.
           In a pan add  the ghee.Once the ghee is hot add cloves ,cumin seeds and cinnamon bark..sau'te it well.Then add the chopped onions(1/2) to it .Sau'te it well until the onions are golden brown in color.To this add our grounded paste.Mix it well .Then cover with a lid and cook it for 15 minutes in low falme.After that
add the fried brinjals to this curry followed by curry leaves and garam masala , simmer it for another 10 minutes.After 10 minutes remove the curry from flame.

We can serve this vankai kura with plain rice...

Rava Laddoo

Ingredients:
Rava/Semoliona:1 cup
Grated coconut : 3 tbsp
Milk:1/2 cup
Sugar:1 cup
Cashews:1 tbsp
Raisins:1 tbsp
Ghee: as reqd

Method:  
                  To a pan add 2 tbsp of ghee.Once the ghee is hot add cashews followed by raisins.when the raisins balloons up immediately add the shredded coconut.Sa'ute it well for a minute and add the semolina.Mix them well..cook it in low flame for 10  minutes.
                 Once the sooji/semolina becomes light brown in color add the sugar.Continue cooking for couple of minutes until the sooji is cooked well.Then remove it from flame and immediately add milk little by little until the mixture is soft.so that we can make laddu's out of it.

                 Make medium size balls or laddu's out of it..keep it in a air tight container..if u want to keep the laddus for more than 10 days..U can add water instead of milk..

We can use these laddu's both as a snack and as a Dessert....  

Potato Bajji

Ingredients:
Potato(Thinly sliced) : 1 no:(big size)/2 no:(Medium size)
Besan Flour : 1 cup
Red chillipowder : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Hing powder : a pinch
Baking soda : 1/2 tsp
Oil :as reqd for frying
Salt : as reqd
Water : as reqd

Method:
                         In a bowl mix besan,redchiilipowder,turmericpowder,hingpowder baking soda and salt..add water little by little and make a thick batter out of it..
keep it aside for 15minutes.
                        In a kadai add oil for frying..heat should be in medium flame..Once the oil is hot(we can check this by dipping a small amount of batter into the oil,if it is coming up,then the oil is ready) dip the thinly sliced potatoes one by one into the batter(potatoes must be thickly coated with the batter) and put it into the hot oil.
                      Deep fry it in low flame.Otherwise the potatoes will not be cooked properly.Deep fry each potatoes like this ..Bhajis should be in golden brown color when we are removing from the kadai...

We can have this potato bajjis with chilli sauce or mint chutney

Carrot Paratha

Ingredients:
Wheat flour(Atta) : 2 cups
Carrot(Grated): 1no:(medium size)/5 no: (baby carrots)
Green chillis : 5 no:(chopped)
Garam Masala : a pinch
Corriander Powder : 1tsp
Amchur Powder/Lemon juice : 1 tsp
salt : as reqd
Oil/ghee : as reqd

Method:
             Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix it well..add water little by little and knead it
well.Add a tsp of oil and knead further to a soft dough.Cover and keep it aside for 30  minutes..
            Make medium size balls from the dough and Roll out each ball as we roll for roti,we have to
roll a little thick as we are preparing paratha.Spread oil/ghee on paratha while frying...

We can serve the hot  parathas with pickle and curd...

Eggless Almond Cookies

Ingredients:
Wheat Flour : 1 cup
Sugar :1/2 cup
Almonds :1/4 cup(sliced)
UnsaltedButter : 4 oz
Milk : 2 tbsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp

Method:
          In a bowl add flour,sugar,almonds,salt and cardamom powder and mix it well.To this mix
add butter(keep butter in room temp for 30minutes before adding, to make it soft) and mix it well
Then add the milk and make a soft dough out of it.
          Make small balls out of the dough . Approx. we can make 23 balls.Now take each balls
 and flatten a little in the greased palm and place it in a baking tray(tray should not be greased) a inch apart.we can also place raisins or chopped almonds at the top of the cookies..

          Preheat the oven to 360F and bake the cookies  for 14-15 minutes or till the top part become
Golden brown.Allow it  to cool for some time and remove the cookies from the tray.Store it in
a tight container.

     

Enjoy this eggless cookies with a hot cup of tea.....

Mushroom-Mutter Kuskani

Ingredients:
  Mushrooms : 2 cups(sliced)
  Green peas : 1 cup
  Tomato : 1 cup(diced)
  Chilli powder : 1/2 tsp
  Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
  Corriander powder : 2 tsp
  Kasoori methi/Fenugreek leaves(green) : 2 tbsp
  Ginger : 1 tbsp(sliced)
  Cumin seeds : 1tsp
  Lemon juice : 1/2 tsp
  Green chillies : 2nos(chopped)
  Oil : 2 tbsp
  Salt : as reqd

Method:
                  Add oil to a pan,once the oil is hot add cumin seeds followed by turmeric powder.Stir it.Then add the tomatoes.cook the tomatoes until oil oozes out from it.To it add the corriander powder,chilli powder,ginger and salt.. just mix them properly and add the mushrooms and peas.Heat should be in medium flame.
                Cover the pan and cook it .After 4 minutes once the mushroom is half cooked add the fenugreek leaves/kasoori methi and cook it again for 3 minutes.After 3 minutes add the lemon juice and green chillies and mix it well .Once the gravy is thick remove it from flame.

                            We can serve this delicious mushroom-mutter with paratha/roti.

Ishtu(Potato Stew)

Ingredients:
Potato : 2 nos(medium size)
Onion : 1 no(finely chopped)
Ginger : 1 tsp(finely chopped)
Green chillies : 4 no's
Coconut milk : 1 cup
Salt to taste
Seasoning
Curryleaves : As reqd
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Coconut oil : 2 tsp

Method:
         In a pressure cooker add the oil,once the oil is hot add onions followed by green chillies and ginger..once the onion becomes transparent add the potatoes ,salt and water..cook them for 2 whistles..
        After the whistle ,open the lid and add the coconut milk and cook it for 5 minutes. Now we can season this delicious stew with coconut oil ,mustard seeds and curry leaves...

We can serve this with palappam/rice/roti...

Cabbage Thoran

Ingredients:
Cabbage : 1 no(medium size chopped)
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
kunjulli(shallots) : 6 nos
GreenChilli : 6 nos
Coconut : 1/2 cup (shredded)
Seasoning
Coconut oil : 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds : as reqd
Curry leaves : as reqd
Salt : as reqd


Method:
Grind Shredded coconut,shallots,greenchillies,turmeric powder and salt and keep it aside...
Now to a pan add oil..once the oil is hot add mustard seeds followed by curryleaves,then add the grounded mixture to it and saute it well..once it is half cooked add the shredded cabbage and saute it well...cook it for 5-10 minutes without closing the pan...once the cabbage is cooked remove from the flame.


we can serve this tasty cabbage thoran with Rice.It is one of the main side dishes in onam sadya.

Chemmeen Thoran(Prawns gravy)

Ingredients:
Chemmeen/prawns : 40 nos(cleaned)
Onion : 1 nos(medium size chopped)
Tomato : 2nos(chopped)
Chilli powder: 1 1/2tsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Corriander Powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt : as reqd
Ginger-Garlic paste:1 tbsp
Garam Masala:a pinch
Curry leaves : as reqd
Oil : 2 tbsp
Corriander Leaves : as reqd

Method:
            Marinate the prawns with chilli powder,turmeric powder,corriander powder ,and salt,
Keep it aside for 15 minutes..
            In a pan add the oil,once the oil is hot add mustard seeds followed by curry leaves.
Then add the chopped onions,saute it well.now add the ginger-garlic paste ,followed by
tomatoes...saute it again till the tomatoes oozes out oil from it..
            Now add the marinated prawns and saute it well for sometime..then close the pan and
cook it for 10 minutes..then open the lid and add the garam masala & saute it again ...now cook it again for 15 minutes(time depends on the prawns) without closing the pan until it forms a thick gravy...
Garnish this with Corriander leaves...

We can serve this yummy cheemmen thoran with rice/rotis...
 
  

Kaipakka Varuthathu(BitterGourd Fry)

Ingredients:
Kaipakka(Bittergourd):4 nos
Chilli powder : 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder :1 tsp
Lemon juice :1/2 lemon
Salt : as reqd
Oil : for frying
Curryleaves : as reqd
Green chillis : 3 nos

 Method:

                  Marinate kaipakka with chilli powder,turmeric powder,salt and lemon juice and keep it aside for 15 minutes .The lemon juice helps to reduce the bitterness in kaipakka.
                 In a pan add the oil,once the oil is hot add the marinated kaipakka  and close it with a lid and cook it in medium flame until the kaipakka is cooked .Cook until it turns into a golden brown color.make sure the heat is in medium flame.(we can also do deep frying...)we can now garnish this pavakka fry with fried greenchillis and curry leaves.(it is optional...)

Kaipakka fry is a good side dish for rice..

Dhokla(Gujarati Snack)

Ingredients
Sooji/Semolina flour : 1 cup
Yogurt :1 cup
Salt :1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/8 th tsp
Green chilli : 2 nos chopped
Cilantro :  2 tsp(chopped)
Lemon juice :2 tsp
Eno/fruit salt : 1 tsp

Seasoning:
Oil : 2 tbsp
Musratrd seeds : 1 tsp
Grenchilli : 3 nos (horizontally cut)
Curry leaves : as reqd

Method:
              Mix sooji,yogurt,salt,turmeric powder,green chillis and cilantro properly,After mixing it well add  lemon juice and mix it again..u can add little water to get the consistency.keep aside the batter for
1 hour.Now add Eno/fruitsalt to the batter and mix it well.Now pour the batter to a cake pan/dhokla stand.We can also use the plate which we get with the cooker.Either u can use cooker or a flat pan  to steam this dhokla .The cakepan/plate should be greased before pouring the batter to it.
             If u are using a cooker dont put the whistle,add little water ,place the vessel,close the lid and cook it for 10 minutes.Same in the case of flat pan,once the water is boiled place the cakepan ,close the lid and steam for 10 minutes.
   
            Once it is steamed if we put a fork into this and if it comes out dry ,then our dhokla is ready.Allow it to cool for sometime.In mean time add oil to a pan ,when the oil is hot add mustard seeds,followed by green chillis and curry leaves.saute it well,our seasoning is ready .
              Now tranfer the dhokla into another plate and cut them into diamond shapes..Now decorate the dhoklas with our seasoning..

Its one of my favorite gujarathi snack..u can serve this yummy snack with mint chutney...

Muttapalada(Sweet Dosa roll)

Ingredients:

Dosa Batter
Maida : 1 cup
Egg : 2nos
salt :1/4 tsp
water: as reqd

Filling:
Coconut :2cup(grated)
Sugar :as reqd
Elakka(cardamom):1tsp(powderd)
Cashews:10 nos(chopped)
Unakkamunthiri(raisins):as reqd
Ghee:2 tbsp

Method:
             Mix maida,egg,salt and water properly and make a thin batter as we make for dosa batter.
keep it aside .In a pan add the ghee.When the ghee is hot add cardamom,raisins,cashews and saute it well.After that add the grated coconut and sugar and saute it again for sometime.Now our filling is ready.
        In another pan make the maida dosa with the batter we prepared earlier . Place this dosa(pancake)
into a ghee spreaded plate ,now fill the dosa with the filling we made earlier and roll the dosas...
our Muttapalada is ready....

U can make upto 8 to 10 nos using this batter,,Itz a great snack for the evening tea..
Itz my husbands favorite one too..try it out...

Kusk DalPalak

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 bunch(chopped and washed)
Moong dal-1 cup
Garlic-4cloves(crushed)
Kunjulli(Shallots)-3 nos(crushed)
Salt-as reqd
Redchillies-4 nos(crushed)
Coconut oil-2tbsp
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Kaayam(Asafoetida)-1/2 tsp
Lemon juice-1/4 tsp
Corriander leaves -as reqd

Method:

           In a cooker add moongdal,turmeric powder,salt and sufficient water ,cook it for 2 whistle in high flame . keep it aside..

           Pour some oil in a vessel ,once the oil is hot add mustard seeds followed by crushed garlic ,shallots and red chillies..saute it well..
     To this add the chopped and washed spinach.close it with a lid and cook it for 10 min in a medium flame...once it is cooked add the cooked moongdal followed by adding sufficient amount of water and salt...bring it to a boil..Then add the lemon juice at the top..it is good for digestion...

Garnish with corriander leaves while serving...

Serve this mouth watering kusk dalpalak with PlainRice/Roti...

Chicken Biriyani (Palakkadan Style)

 
Ingredients:

Chicken: 1/2 of one whole chicken
Basmati rice : 1cup
water: 2cup
Onion : 2nos
Tomato : 3 nos
Ghee and oil : 1/2 a glass together
Green chilli : 5 nos(splitted into two halves)
Cilantro : as reqd(chopped )
Mint : as reqd(chopped)
Grambu(Cloves) : 3nos
Patta(Cinnamon) : 2 sticks
Elakka(Cardamom) : 3 nos
Chilli powder : 2 teaspoon(spice as per ur taste)
Garam masala : 3/4 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste : 2 table spoons
Curd : 1 tbsp

Method:

            Add  ghee + oil to the vessel.once the oil is hot add the cloves,cinnamon and cardamom(Heat must be in medium).To this add the chopped onions..saute the onions until it is golden brown..then add the green chillis followed by ginger garlic paste to the onions..saute it again..then add the garam masla followed by
tomatoes..saute it well until the tomatoes are mashed well...To this add chilli powder and  curd...After that add the chopped mint and cilantro into it.add salt as reqd..Then add the chicken pieces and close the vessel with a lid and wait for 3 minutes...

              To this add our measured water and again close it with a lid and wait until the water is boiled..taste the salt at this time..To this add our rice(rice must be washed and strained) and mix it properly....and close it with a lid...heat must be in medium.let it cook for 15 - 20 minutes..u have to saute in b/w..
(depends on the type of rice the time may inc or dec..).

Serve this delicious biriyani with salad/pickle

NB:This recipe is for 2 Persons.....u can increase the quantity of ingredients as per the no: of persons.