Swiss chard Thoran

Ingredients  

1. Red swiss chard / Red cheera - 1 bunch
2. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup  
3. Garlic - 2-3 cloves 
4. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp 
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp 
6. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp 
7. Green chillies - 3 Nos 
8. Shallots / Kunjulli- 3 Nos 
9. Curry leaves - 1 stem 
10. Salt to taste 
11. Oil

Method

Wash the red swiss chard / cheera and chop it into very small pieces. Then drain it . You can even use the stem.

Grind coarsely grated coconut, cumin seeds, garlic and turmeric powder .  Set aside.

Then heat oil, add mustard seeds. When it crackles, add chopped cheera/ swiss chard, chopped green chillies,shallots and curry leaves.stir and cook until all the water evaporates.Then add the ground paste and stir for a minitue . Serve with rice.

Rava Vada

Rava vada, an easy vada that can be made in 30 min.

Ingredients:

1. Fine rava -1 cup
2. Yogurt/curd - 1/2 cup
3. Boiled potato - 1 medium size
   
4. Red onion finely chopped -1/4 cup
5. Green chillies- 4
6. Ginger - small piece
   
7. Coriander leaves/Curry leaves chopped - 2 tsp
8. Salt
   
9. Oil for frying

Method:
Soak rava with Yogurt/curd for10 min.
After 10 min mix items 3 to 8 so that batter should be of thick consistency and make small round balls and flatten it with palm.
Then heat oil on medium heat flame. When hot enough, deep fry rava balls until golden brown.
Its good with coriander chutney .

Egg Aviyal/Mutta Aviyal

Ingredients:

1. Boiled egg - 6 nos, each cut into half
2. Potato - 1 no, cut lengthwise
3. Drumstick- 6 nos, cut lengthwise
4. Snake gourd (Padavalanga) -1 no
5. Brinjal/Eggplant-1 (small one)
   
6. Tomato -1 no
7. Curry leaves- one bunch
   
8. Green chilly - 3 nos, cut lengthwise

For grinding:

1. Grated Coconut- ½ of one coconut
2. Cumin seed- ¼ tsp
3. Shallot- 3 nos
4. Garlic - 1 no
   
5. Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
6. Chilly powder - ¼ tsp
7. Salt as needed

Method:
Heat coconut oil in a kadai.
Add green chilly, curry leaves and vegetables except tomato and saute well.
Add 1/2 cup water and cover with a lid and cook in low flame.
When vegetables are cooked, add tomato and salt.
Then add the add ground mixture to the cooked vegetables (add little water if needed).
Add egg into this and mix slightly. Cook in low flame for about 3 min.
Add 1 tsp of coconut oil and remove from fire.
Egg aviyal goes well with rice .

Muthira/ Horsegram Chammanthi

Ingredients

1. Grated Coconut – 1 cup
2. Muthira/ Horse gram-2 tbsp
3. Dry Red Chillies – 2
4. Garlics- 3 nos (small)
5. Tamarind Paste- 1 tsp
6. Urad Dal (Uzhunnu Parippu) – 1 tsp
7. Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
8. Curry Leaves – few
   
9. Salt – to taste

Method

First dry roast Muthira until it's colour changes to red. Then remove from the flame.

Then dry roast Urad dal (Uzhunnu parippu), mustard seeds, dry Red chillies and Garlic until mustard seeds pop up and garlic smell changes.

Then grind all items well.

Serve this chammanthi with rice, mezhukuvaratti and pickle.

Payarukoottan

Ingredients:
1)Green gram(Cheru Payaru)-1 cup
2)Salt to taste

for grinding:
3)Coconut-1/4 cup
4)Cumin seeds-1 tsp
5)Garlic Pods- 2 nos
6)Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
7)Chilly powder-1/2 tsp
8)Salt to taste

for the seasoning:
9)Coconut oil -2 tbsp
10)Mustard seeds
11)Dry red chillies
12)Curry leaves



Method:

1. Pressure cook the green gram (with salt) and keep aside.Make sure its not mushy.

2. Grind coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and chilly powder into a paste adding little water.

3. In a kadai, heat coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies and then add the cooked green gram.

4. Add the ground paste and mix well.

5. Continue to cook until you get a nice flavor. Serve hot with kanji, pickle and pulisheri.

Vanilla Pancake

Ingredients

1)All-purpose flour-1/2 cup
2)Eggs-3 nos
3)Vanilla extract-1/2 tsp
4)Sugar- 2 tbsp
5)Cream cheese- 1 tbsp
6)Butter- 2 tbsp
7)Milk (optional) to make the consistency


Method

1. In medium bowl, add eggs, flour, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla. Mix by hand or electric mixer.

2. Heat fry pan to medium-high heat ,Rub pan with Butter.Take a ladleful of batter and spread it out on the heated pan. Cook until golden brown on both sides.Serve hot with honey.

Beetroot leaf Avial

Ingredients

1. Beet leaves - 1 bunch
2. Green chillies - 3 slit
3. Vellarikka(Cucumber)-1 cup
4. Green mango - 2 slices or to taste
5. Grated coconut - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - A pinch
8. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (Optional)
9. Shallots - 2 (Optional)
10. Curry leaves - 1 spring
11. Coconut oil - 2 tsp
12. Salt - to taste

Method

1. Wash beet leaves well and slice the stems. Cover and cook the beet stems and Vellarikka (cucumber) in a vessel, add a pinch of turmeric powder, chilli powder (opt), curry leaves, 1/2 cup water and slitted green chillies.

2. When they are half-done, add the chopped beet leaves and chopped mango pieces.

3. Grind the grated coconut with cumin seeds and shallots to a coarse paste and keep aside.

4. When the beet stems and leaves are cooked well, bring down the heat and add the crushed coconut mixture and cover it up with the cooked vegetables. Cover up with the lid and let it cook for few minutes. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add 2 tsp coconut oil. Mix well and stop cooking. Close it with a lid and let it remain for 5 min. Serve hot with rice.

Note- Jackfruit seeds and drumstick also can be added to this aviyal to give a different taste, have to cook them along with beet stems.

Netholi/Chooda/Smelt/Anchovy Thoran

Ingredients
Netholi/Chooda/Smelt/Anchovy -1 lb (cleaned)
Green chili:3 nos
coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Kudampuli /Gambooge- 4 pieces
Curry leaf-8 no
Fenugreek(Uluva) seeds or powder - 1/4 tsp
Water 3 cup
salt- to taste
To be ground to a fine paste:
Coconut - 2 1/2 cup
Green chilly - 4 no
Pearl onions(Kunjulli) - 1 no(big size)
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Methods
Heat oil(one tbsp) in a kadai,add Fenugreek(Uluva) seeds or powder,green chilly and curry leaf. When fenugreek seeds turn brown, slow down the heat and add a pinch of tumeric powder and chilly powder to get nice color.
Then add the ground paste and kudam puli on this,allow it to boil in a medium heat .When the paste boils and aroma comes, add fish pieces. Add water such that the pieces are well immersed in the mix.
:- Add less water, if you want it thick.
Reduce heat to low and cover..Let it cook for 10 minutes.do not stir with spoon.Just hold the pan on the sides and shake the pan to mix well.Remove from flame. Add 1 tbsp coconut oil and keep covered.

Spinach Soy Granules (Soya Palak Ki Sabzi)

Ingredients

1 .Soy Granules- 1 cup

2. Olive oil or any oil-2 tbsp

3.Pepper powder-1/4 tsp

Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp

Cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Green chilly-2

Ginger(chopped)-1/2 tsp

4.Spinach(chopped)- 1 cup

5.Tomato(chopped)-1 or 2

Salt to taste

6.Water-1/2 cup

7.Coriander leaves-1/4 cup

Method

Wash Soya Chunks & boil them in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes .Drain the water and allow chunks to cool. Then squeeze the water from chunks and keep aside.

Heat oil in a preassure cooker, add Cardamom powder,Pepper powder,Cumin powder, Green chilly and Ginger.Saute well until the raw smell goes off.

Then add chopped Spinach and saute well for 2 minutes. Then add tomato, soy chunks and saute. Add salt to taste.

Add hlaf cup water and close the lid of pressure cooker and cook in medium flame. After 2 whistle, remove the cooker from heat.

Garnish with coriander leaf and serve hot with Chapathi or rice.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients

Rice( I used to use ‘ponni’ raw rice )- 1 cup

Tomatoes- 3 medium size

Garlic - 4 pods

Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

Onion-1/2 cup(chopped)

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Salt to taste

for the seasoning:
Oil - 12 tbsp gingely oil

Mustard seeds: one teaspoon

Urad dal: one teaspoon

Chana dal: 1/2 teaspoon

Red chillies: 3-5( depending on how hot you like it)

Asafoetida: a pinch

Method:

Cook 1 cup Rice with 3 cup of water .Keep aside.
In the frying pan, heat oil. Add Mustard seeds and dry red chilly ; once the seeds splutter, add Urad dal asafoetida and channa dal . Once the dal ingredients turn golden brown, add turmeric powder and garlic.
Then add onions and and fry the onions till translucent.
Add the tomatoes and cook on medium-low flame,keep stirring frequently.
When the tomatoes are cooked add the cooked rice & combine.Garnish with Fresh Coriander leaves & enjoy.

Chicken Momos

Ingredients
1. Chicken, boiled and minced-250 gm
2.Plain wheat flour/Maida-500 gm
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt to taste
3.Onions-1 chopped
Olive- 3 chopped
Ginger-1 Inch chopped
Green chilli-2 chopped
Garlic-2 chopped
Pepper-1/2 tsp
4.Soya sauce-1 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Tomato Garlic Sauce (For Serving & Garnishing)
Method
For Dough
Take maida in a bowl and add salt and little oil and kned it into a soft dough using water.Keep it aside.
For filling
Now take Chop green chilies, onions, garlic and ginger, Combine them it in a large bowl with minced chicken.Add chopped olives . Mix well with hand, adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Add Soya sauce to it and mix well, set aside.
Make small balls from the dough. Roll them into a small round and put 1 tsp of the filling in the middle. Seal it and steam in a momo steamer.Steam it for about 20 minutes. its ready to eat now Garnish the chicken Momos with Tomato Garlic Sauce and Serve it hot.

Vazhapoo Thoran/Plantain flower fry

Ingredients

Vazhapoo or plantain flower : 1 nos
Red beans or vanpayar-1/4 cup(cooked)
Fresh coconut - 1/2 cup,grated
Dried red chilli - 2 no
Jeerakam - 1 tsp
Garlic cloves - 2 no
Redchilly powder- 1/2 tap
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt

Method
Clean and finely chop the plantain flower or vazhai poo.
Grind grated coconut, garlic and jeerakam and keep aside.
Take a tawa, add oil and mustard. Allow mustard to pop and then add dry chilli .
Now add the chopped plantain flower and add turmeric powder and redchilly powder.
Sprinkle water and allow it to cook.
When half cooked, add the cooked Red beans or vanpayar , salt and mix well.
Finally addground mixture and turn off the stove.

Serve with rice.

Drumstick leaves curry(Muringa ella Parippu curry)

Ingredients:

Drumstick leaves(Muringa ella)-2 cup

Moong dal -1 cup

Coconut - 1 cup

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Chilly powder-1 1/2 tsp

Garlic (chopped)-2 flakes

Cumine seeds- 1 tsp

Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp

Dry redchilly - 3 no

Oil-3 tbsp

Salt

Curry leaves

Method

Cook dal in preassure cooker.Keep aside.

Make a ground paste of coconut,cumine powder and garlic.Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds , dry red chilly and curry leaf .
Add drumstick leaves,turmeric powder,chilly powder and salt, and saute for 4 mins.
Then add cooked dal and allow for boiling.

Add ground paste to it.And cover with a lid.

Remove from heat.Serve with Rice

Fish Moly

Ingredients
Mackerel/Salmon/Tilapia - 3 no (Medium size)
Turmeric powde-1 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Meat masala- 1 tsp
Onions - 2 no
Green Chillies - 3
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 2 pods
Big tomato - 1
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Thin coconut milk- 1 1/2 cup
Medium thick coconut milk-1 cup
Thick coconut milk-1/2 cup
Pepper powder -1 tsp
Cardamam powder-1/2 tsp
Oil for frying
Salt to taste





Method

Clean fish thoroughly with salt. Make 3 or 4 slits on fish and apply chilly powder ,turmeric powder and salt.

Fry the fish lightly on both sides.Drain and keep it aside.

Saute onion, garlic, ginger,curry leaves green chilly in 3 tbsp oil (use the same oil that used for frying fish).

When onion becomes soft, add tomato and saute well for 5 minutes.

Add meat masala on it and saute well.

Then add fried fish & add salt to taste. Cover the fish with onion and tomato in the gravy.Let it cook in medium heat.

Then cover with a lid.

Add light coconut milk, let it boil.

Add crushed pepper powder.When the gravy becomes little thick add medium thick coconut milk.

Cover with a lid and let it boil
Add crushed cardamam powder and thick coconut milk. Remove from heat.

Serve with Appam,Chapathi or white rice.

Ottada(Elai adai) Happy Vishu....

Ingredients:

Rice Powder - 2 cups

Grated coconut - 1½ cup

Cumin seeds- ½ tsp

Cardmom - 1 /2 tsp

Sugar - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1/ cup

Ghee - 1/4 cup

Boiled Water -1 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Plantain leaf(Vazhayila) for wrapping

Method

Crush the coconut,sugar,cardmom and cumin seeds well(Using your hand).Keep aside.

Add jaggery ,ghee and salt to the rice flour and make it into a dough by adding boiled water.

Spread the dough on the vazhayila pieces.

Put coconut mixture inside the adas and fold the vazhayilas.

Arrange these stuffed leaf in an idli plate .

Cook for 10 minutes on medium -high heat.

Remove from heat. Elai Adai is ready.

Pal Kanji(Broken Wheat)

Ingredients:

Broken Wheat- 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Milk- 4 cups (2% reduced fat)

Sugar to taste

Method

Wash wheat and cook in preassure cooker with 2 cups of water in medium heat (until it's cooked well).

After the wheat is cooked, open the cooker and then add 4 cups of milk and then boil for 10 minutes in medium heat.

Add sugar as per taste.

Serve the pal kanji with chips.

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

Allpurpose flour(Maida)-1/2 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder -1/2 cup
Sugar(powdered)-1 cup
Egg-6 no
Butter-1 cup
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

For filling and decoration


Pitted sour cherries - 1 cup
Cornstarch- 3 tbsp
Heavy whipping cream- 2 cup
Vanilla extract- 1 tsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Cherries-10 no
Chocolate rice and Chocolate curls or shavings for garnish

Method

To make the cherry sauce: (This is to be made one day before making the cake)

Boil cherries in cherry syrup till they become soft.Add sugar to taste(not necessary).

Add cornstarch to make a thick consistency.

To make Whipping Cream: (This to be made fresh at the time of making cake)

Heavy whipping cream should be kept in refrigerator.

Beat this chilled whipping cream till it becomes creamy.(use a bowl without moisture)

Add sugar and vanilla extract while beating.

To make Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix Allpurpose flour(Maida) and cocoa powder well.Keep aside.

Melt butter and keep aside.

With an electric mixer, beat Sugar(powdered),eggs and Vanilla extract (on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and tripled in volume, about 8 minutes)

Then add Maida and cocoa powder spoon by spoon.

Add melted butter . Mix well.

Pour the cake batter into the greased 9x13 inch pan, spreading it evenly.

Bake in a 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool.

Assemble the cake:

Using a knife, carefully cut each cake horizontally in half to make 2 or 3 layers.

Make holes in the cake with fork so that when u pour cherry sauce over the cake layers can absorb equally.

Now pour cherry sauce in each layer.

Spread whipping cream over the cherry sauce in each layer.

Spread the whipping cream all over the cake.

Garnish with Chocolate rice , Chocolate curls or shavings and cherries.

Keep this in refrigerator.

Egg Bhurji (Egg Scramble)

Ingredients:

Egg - 4

Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

Green chillies - 2 (finely chopped)

Tomato- 3 (medium size)

Coriander leaves- 1/2 cup

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Red chilly powder-1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp

Method:

Beat the Eggs well.Keep aside

Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds.

When mustard seeds start popping, add chillies and onion. Fry till onion turns brown in color.

Add tomatoes,coriander leaf,turmeric powder , redchilly powder and salt.Saute well.

Add egg on it. Stir constantly and cook till the Eggs dry up to the desired consistency.

Serve hot with Rice,Chapatis, Naan, Parathas or Bread.

Pad Thai Kung

Pad Thai Kung, a traditional dish of Thailand .

Ingredients

1)Shrimp-20 no
Onion(chopped)-1 no
Garlic - 4 no
Green chilly- 3 no

2) Rice Noodles- 1 packet
Lemon juice-1 no
Sugar- 3 tbsp
Nam pla(fish sauce)- 2 tbsp

3)Red chilly powder- 1 tsp

4)Bean sprouts- 1 cup
Peanuts-1/2 cup
Spring onion

5) Egg - 2 no

6)Oil-2 tbsp

Method

Soak rice noodles in hot water for 1 hour.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan,add garlic and greenchilly saute well(when garlic raw smell goes).
Then add chopped onion and shrimp and saute well.

Add 2nd ingredints in to it and saute well.Cover with a lid.
Add 3rd and 4th ingredients in to it and saute for 2 minutes and take off from heat.Keep aside.

Make 2 thin egg Omlets.

Keep one omlete in a plate and put shrimp mix in the middle of that and cover the shrimp mix with the second omlete as shown in the picture.

This can be serve hot.

Meen curry/Salmon Curry

Ingredients:
Salmon fish- 6 piece medium size
Coriander powder-1 tbsp
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder - 2 tbsp(has a fiery red colour without being very hot in flavour. If using ordinary chilly powder, 1 Tbs is enough)
Kudam puli - 4 no(soak in a water)
Asafoetida-1 pinch
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
Green chilly- 4 no
Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Curry leaves -8
Water -1 cup

Method
Clean fish pieces with lime juice and keep aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan add coriander, turmeric and red chilly powder and then add asafoetida. Then reduce heat and stir well. Make a paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, put green chilly, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Stir well in low heat. Then add ground paste to it and mix well. Add 1 cup water and soaked tamarind. Allow for boiling.
Then add cleaned fish pieces and cover with a lid for 10 minutes.
Remove kadai from heat. Serve hot with rice or kappa.