Spicy Kurkmura Mixture

We all love to have a little bit of crunchy, salty, spicy snack in evening. This recipe is way better than store bought and healthier as well.

Ingredients

Kurmura 1 big packet
Corn flakes 1 packet
Peanuts 3 cup
Chana dal or dalia 1 cup
Curry leaves 5- 6 spring
Uncooked rice 2 tbsp
Oil

Dry spices
Chili powder 1 tsp or to taste
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder 1/2 tsp
Hing 1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp or to taste
Sugar 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Roast rice and let it cool
2. Grind roasted rice with dry spices
3. Taste and adjust spices as needed and keep aside
4. In a pan heat oil and fry below ingredients , one at a time, 
1. Peanuts
2. Chana dal (If you use dalia, no need to fry)
3. Curry leaves till crispy
4. Corn flakes, if not crispy
5. In the end in remaining oil fry kurmura and corn flakes so that they become hot and oily and spices stick to them
5. Mix all ingredients in a big bowl while kurmura is hot
6. Let it cool and store in air tight container

Avial

Avial is the most popular Kerala dish as I know. It is the highlight of Onam sadhya. It is very healthy as it has a bunch of boiled veggies with hardly any frying in oil. It tastes splendid too. Here is my Mom's recipe.

Ingredients

1)
2 cup vegetables - preferably country veggies like dudhi, pumpkin, plantain, drumsticks, carrots,tindora, okra, eggplant
1 pinch turmeric powder

2) 
1/2 cup  grated coconut
2-3 flakes garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 chillies

3) 
2 tbsp yoghurt
curry leaves
coconut oil


Method

1. Cut vegetables lengthwise
2. Boil the veggies in water till 3/4 cooked with turmeric and salt- put veggies that take longer to cook first then others
3. Grind a coarse paste of ingredients no.2)
4. Add it to the boiling veggies
5. Add a spoon of curd 
6. Add salt and adjust by taste
7. Add few curry leaves and a spoon of hot coconut oil
8. Turn off stove

Easy Quesadilla

This is an easy peasy mexican Quesadilla  recipe. Its got lots of cheese and sourcream so I prefer to go the fatfree variety but still tastes good.

Ingredients

corn-bean salsa - store bought from walmart

1 medium onion chopped

1 bell pepper chopped

salt as per taste

pepper as per taste

sour cream as per taste - I use the lighter variety

Flour tortilllas

shredded cheese - I use Krafts 4 blend fat free cheese 

olive oil

Method:

1. Stir fry onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes with a sprinkle of salt
2. In a vessel, make filling mixture by mixing together salsa, onion- pepper fry, salt, pepper and sour cream.
3. Heat tortilla in pan with olive oil on both sides
4. Apply thin layer of sour cream on 1 side
5. Put cheese on one half of the tortilla
6. Spread filling mixture on top
7. Top with cheese
8. Fold the tortilla
9. Heat in low till cheese melts

Tip:

Add stir fried, shredded chicken in filling mixture if you crave for a chicken quesedilla!

Mango Curry

My mom's mango curry recipe- no its not sweet but savory! Love it yumm!

Ingredients:

1) 

Ripe mangoes- 5 or 6 of small size. or 1 big US size.  If big cut into 1 inch slices

Salt

Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp

2)

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Jeera - a pinch

Garlic - 1 piece

Small onion(pearl onion) - 2-4

Green chilly - 2-3

Turmeric pdr - 1 pinch

3)

Small onion (pearl onion)  - 3 , cut into pieces

Whole red chillies- 2

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves

4) 

Salt

oil

Method:

1. Peel mangoes and cook them with salt and turmeric pdr with 1.5 cups of water for 10 mins
2. Grind together the no.2) ingredients with 1/2 cup water to fine paste
3. Add this paste to mangoes. 
4. Check salt and water. The gravy of this curry has medium thick consistency
5. Cook for 5-7 mins on low flame
6. Make tadka in oil with no.3) ingredients and add to curry

Mix-Veg Pickle

Spring is here! Perfect time to make a pickle. Try this simple recipe for a spicy, flavor-laden pickle. Courtesy my Mother-in-law

It can be refrigerated for up to a month but it has never lasted for more than 10 days!

Ingredients:
Half of cauliflower - florets broken into bite size
2 carrots - cut bite sized
5-6 green chilies - cut bite sized

3-4 garlic - separate the cloves
1 cup red chili powder
2 tbsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
juice of 6 lemons
1 cup oil
3/4 cup salt

Method:

1. Wash and dry the veggies and chillies on a cloth in sun for 1 day till completely dry
2. Grind mustard seeds to a fine powder
3. In a  clean dry vessel, add chilli pwder, salt, ground mustard seeds powder, oil, lemon juice and mix well
4. Add the veggies, chilies, fenugreek seeds and garlic and mix well
5. Taste and adjust lemon juice or salt as required
6. Close tightly and place indisturbed for 3 days
7. Open on 4th day and taste for any adjustment like lemon juice or salt. 
8. Pack it in a bottle and its ready to go

Avacado Chutney

This chutney is a welcome change to the traditional chutneys. It is healthy and has good fat content. It goes very well with idli, dosas and as a side for rice. 

Whats more, this is a big hit with the little man! 

Thanks to my sis-in-law,Divya, for getting me hooked to it

Ingredients:
1 medium avacado
1 medium tomato
1bunch corainder leaves
3-4  cloves garlic (Yes I am a garlic lover and I don't deny it)
2 chillies (add more to make it spicy!)
some curry leaves
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt
Oil


Method:

1. Heat oil and fry cumin seeds
2. Add chopped tomato, coriander leaves, garlic, chillies and curry leaves and fry till tomato is done
3. Let it cool
4. In a grinder add the fried ingredients along with chopped avacado and some water
5. Grind it till smooth paste. 
6. Add salt and lemon juice and give a pulse to mix well

Variation:

Tip:
Adding lemon prevents the chutney from losing its green color and gives a tangy taste

Add bell pepper while frying to give extra zing! Thanks Preethi for the tip!

Coconut Chutney

Traditional coconut chutney with a twist. Goes well with idli and dosas!
Replace Pudina leaves with Methi  or coriander leaves for a different chutney altogether!

Ingredients:
Cocount Grated
Pudina (Mint leaves)/Methi (Fenugreek leaves)/ Coriander leaves
Chillies
Tamarind
Garlic
Jeera
Salt
Oil

Method:

1. Fry the leaves in Oil along with chillies
2. Grate coconut if pieces
3. Add fried leaves
4. Add garlic, jeera, tamarind and salt and grind
5. You can refrigerate for a few days

Vankaya Dosakaya Pachadi (Eggplant Cucumber Chutney)

This chutney is a staple at my husbands side. It seems that no wedding is complete without this chutney.
It is a healthy alternate to the nut chutneys and refreshingly tasty. It goes well with idli, dosas and even with rice. I prepare good quantity as it can stay in fridge for 3-4 days.

Ingredients:
5-6 Eggplant small sized
1 tomato

few curry leaves
few coriander leaves
5-6 green chilies
1 Cucumber (Dosakaya)  peeled and chopped
A little oil
Salt

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add tadka (mustard seeds, chana dal, jeera)
2. Add eggplant, tomato any veggies, along with chillies, curry leaves and fry
3. After they are done cooking, grind them to paste along with tamarind, garlic, jeera and coriander leaves
4. Add dosakaya pieces and grind so that there are not totally ground
5. Add salt according to taste

You can also add any leftover veggies to fry with the eggplant

Kaala Channa fry

I like to make this very simple, savory dish on days that I feel like snacking all day!

Ingredients:
1 cup black chick peas (Kaala chana)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch asafoetida
4-5 curry leaves
3-4 green chilies
1/4 tsp sugar/jaggery(optional)
2-3 tbsp fresh/frozen coconut
A little oil
Salt

Method:

1. Soak the legumes overnight 
2. Discard water and pressure cook them till they are soft.
3. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. 
4. When they start popping, add curry leaves, green chilies, asafoetida. 
5. Now add cooked chane, salt, sugar/jaggery and cook for 5-6mins. 
6. Garnish with coconut, mix well and serve.

Sheera

Sheera is one of the few sweet dishes I love. The combination with Kaala chana fry and Puri is palin awesome! I distinctly remember having this at a pooja where kids were invited. The taste from childhood still lingers...

Ingredients
1 cup sooji
¾ cup sugar
3 tbsp ghee
1 cup milk
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
¼ cup cashew pieces, toasted
2-3 cardamom pods (lightly crushed)
pinch of saffron
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Method:

1. In a flat pan on medium high, heat the ghee and add the semolina when just melted.
2. Keep stirring continuously so as not to burn, til the semolina turns light brown in color and a nutty fragrance is emitted.
3. Add the raisins. This may take up to 5-6 minutes.
4. Simultaneously on another burner gently bring the milk to a low boil
5. Add the saffron and let it seep for 5 minutes.
6. Add the warmed saffron milk slowly, while stirring, to the toasted semolina, raisin and ghee mixture so as not to form any lumps.
7. Stir to combine well, reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 4-5 minutes.
8. Stir and add the sugar, nuts, freshly grated nutmeg and the cardamom pods.
9. Cover and let cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Kaalan (Kerala style kadhi) - Style 2

Kaalan is a typical Kerala Sadhya dish. The primary ingredients are curd, coconut and vegatables like yam or plantain.

Ingredients

100gm Yam sliced into small pieces 
1 Small raw banana
3 Green chillies  with slit edge
1/2 liter Mashed yogurt (without water)
1/2 Grated coconut
1/2tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Pepper powder 1tsp
1cup Water
1/4tspTurmeric powder
1/2tsp Fried and powdered fenugreek
3tsp Ghee
2 Dried chilli - split into 2
1tsp Mustard
1tsp Ghee
1 sprig Curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Remove the skin of the plantain and slice it into small pieces.
2. Grind the coconut and cumin to a smooth paste without adding water. Keep it aside.
3. Dissolve the pepper powder in 1/2cup of water and strain it through a clean cloth.
4. Cook the vegetables in this water.
5. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Stir well.
6. When the water dries, add 1tsp ghee.
7. Pour the yogurt and mix well. Lower the flame.
8. When the curd boils and becomes dry and thick, add the grinded coconut mixture and fenugreek powder into it. Stir well.
9. Brings to a boil and remove from fire.
10. Season with mustard, dried chillies and curry leaves.

Serve with hot rice!

Indo-Chinese Fried Rice

In the mood for some Indo-Chinese tonight. Dug up this recipe from Mommy dearest of the most awesome fried rice ever!

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati rice
2-3 Spring Onions
1 carrot
8-10 French Beans
100 gm cabbage
2 tsp Soya Sauce
1/2 tsp Ajinomoto
2.5 cup water
Salt
Oil

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 30 mins
2. In a thick pan heat rice, salt, 1 tsp oil and water(Double to qty of rice if old, 1.5 times if new) on slow gas till rice is done completely
3. Spread rice in dish to cool for 2-3 hours
4. Cut all vegetables thin and length wise
5. Fry in a kadhai each veg separately using little oil
6. Mix together
7. Add sauce, salt, ajinomoto and rice and stir for 6-7 minutes
8. Garnish with shredded omelet or scrambled egg and onion flower

Yummmmy!

Pesarattu

Pesarattu is a another kind of dosa made with moong dal. It does not need fermentation. I think its usually served for breakfast, but we have it at all meal times :)

Having heard a lot from my friends from AP, I finally gave it a try. It is tasty and very filling. Whats more, you dont have to wait for it to ferment and is so healthy! A tasty and healthy meal in minutes! Wow, I can see shedding those pounds :D

INGREDIENTS :

1 Cup ( about 250 ml ) whole MOONG
1 table spoon rice
4 green chilies
About 1 in. long ginger piece
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
Salt to taste

PREPARATION

1. Mix all ingredients and and soak the mixture in water for some hours (At least 3 , if you are in a hurry).
2. Drain and grind the mixture with water to a smooth paste till it is frothy.
3. Add salt and cumin seeds according to taste.
4. Keep aside.
5. Keep the frying pan on medium heat and grease it with little oil.
6. Pour one or 2 spoonful of paste on it and spread it into a thin round layer like how you make dosa.
7. Sprinkle finely cut onions and cumin seeds for extra crunch.
8. Cover with a lid and cook until the edges become brown. Then flip the Pesarattu over.
9. Cook it for about 2 minutes , just enugh so that it does not get burnt.
10. Serve hot with Peanut chutney.

Vegetable Stew

This dish is an easier version of avial. Quick and easy to prepare with your frozen mixed veggie packet off the freezer.

Ingredients:

1. Assorted vegetables (potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, french beans, and green bell peppers) - 4 cups , chopped
2. Onions -2, sliced
3. Green cardamoms - 4, whole
4. Cloves -4
5. Cinnamon stick - 1 "
6. Chilies -2
7. Ginger-2 , cut lengthwise
8. Black peppercorns- 1 tsp, coarsely crushed
9. Coconut milk- 2 cups
10. Water - 2 cups
11. Oil - 4 tbsp
12. few curry leaves
13. salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add the green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon when oil is hot and fry for a few seconds.
3. Then add the chillies, ginger and sliced onions and saute on medium heat for 2 min or till the onions are transparent
4. Add the vegetables, curry leaves, salt and water.
5. Cover and cook on low heat till the vegetables are cooked.
6. Add the peppercorns and the coconut milk.
7. Simmer on very low heat (so that the coconut milk does not curdle) for a min.

Serves 4
Serving Suggestion: Coconut Rice

Aloo Stew

My mom gave me this recipe when I requested for a vegetarian side with palappam during easter. This one is real good with only the garam masalas for spices.

Ingredients:
1) Potato - 1 kg
2) Butter or oil - one forth cup
3) Patta (dalcheeni) - 1 inch length - 3
4) Laung - 12
5) Ilaichi (cardamom) - 4
6) Thejpatha - 2
7) Pepper , cut into 2 halves - 1 desert sp

8) Onion - half cup(cut in length )
9) Green chilies - 3
10) Ginger - 1 desert sp
11) Garlic - 10
12) few Curry leaves

13) Maida - half desert sp
14) Vinnegar - 2 desert sp
15) Salt - to taste
16) Coconut first milk - half cup
17) Coconut second milk - 3 cup
18) Peper (whole)

Method:

1) Heat Oil or butter.
2) Put garam massala, ingredients 3-7
3) then put (8-12) ingredients & fry.
4) Then remove from oil and keep aside .
5) Put maida in remaining oil and fry for some time.
6) Then put potato and fry for some time.
7) Then put half vinegar, salt & second coconut milk and cook .
8) When potato is half cooked, put the fried masala (which is kept aside), remaining 1 desert sp vinegar & salt.
9) Put lid And cook well.
10) Then put first milk & stir well.
11) Stop boiling when it reaches required thickness.
12) Lastly, add the whole pepper.

Tip: You can add carrots or capsicum(bell pepper) when potato is half cooked. You can replace potato with chicken, to make a non-veg stew. This is yummy too.

Note: Coconut first milk is obtained when the scrapped coconut is first rinsed from grinder. The second milk is the milk rinsed the second time, and so on

Serves 6
Serving Suggestion: Serve with Pal Appam or Kerala style parotta

Kanda Aloo Poha

This is a tasty Maharashtrian snack that is made from beaten rice (poha).

Ingredients:

4 cup poha (beaten rice)
1 onion (kanda)
1 potato (aloo)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4 green chillies
curry leaves
4 tbsp grated coconut
4 tbsp cilantro (coriander leaves)
4 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste

Method:

1) Cut potato into 1" cubes and half-cook them till just about tender (around 5 min in microwave)
2) Heat mustard seeds in oil till they splutter. Add chillies and curry leaves. Fry for a minute
3) Then add onions and fry them till they turn brown. Add turmeric and red chilli powder.
4) Then add half-cooked potatoes and fry them till they are done.
5) Soak poha in water for about 2 minutes.
6) Add poha and mix carefully, so that poha is not mashed. Cook for about 2 mins.
7) Add a dash of lemon juice and salt to taste
8) Garnish with grated coconut and cilantro

Tip: Green peas can also be fried along with potatoes.

Serves 4
Serving Suggestion: Serve with tea

Kalan (Kerala style kadhi) - Style 1

This curry is made with beaten curd that has thick consistency.

Ingredients

I
½ cup Ash gourd (Dudhi/Kumbalanga) OR Raw banana , peeled and cut into 1" pieces
4 Green chilli, cut into 2 pieces
¼ tsp Red chili powder
2 pinch turmeric powder
Salt

II
1-cup thick curd (beaten)
A pinch of Asaphoetida (Hing/kaayam) (optional)
A pinch of sugar (optional)

III For Tadka
2 tsp Oil or ghee
½ tsp rye
¼ tsp fenugreek seed (Methi/uluva)
2 whole red chili, cut into 4 pieces
Curry leaves

Method:
1) Cook the first set of ingredients by adding some water. Cook well. Stir occasionally.
2) Then on slow flame, add second set of ingredients. Stir well. Keep heating on slow flame till it attains thick consistency. Then remove from stove.
3) Then add tadka (vagar) by heating oil in a kadhai and adding third set of ingredients. After they splutter add to the curry.

Tip: After step 1, you can also add 1 cup paste of coconut and cumin seeds(1 tsp)

Serves 4
Serving suggestion: Serve hot with plain rice, pickle

Paneer Makhani

Ingredients:
250 gm-paneer(cottage cheese), cut in 1” pieces
½ cup tomato puree
1 tsp grated ginger
2 green chilies, chopped finely
Half tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Garam masala powder
1tsp-red chili powder
1tsp coriander powder
2tsp curry leaves, chopped finely
50ml-fresh cream, beaten lightly
1tsp sugar
4tbsp butter
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat butter and add cumin seeds, then add ginger.
2) Mix tomato puree, salt, sugar, red chili powder and fry for some time.
3) Add finely chopped green chilies, coriander powder and paneer. Fry for some time.
4) Add lightly beaten cream. Mix and fry some time.
5) Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serves 4
Serving Suggestion: Serve hot with Naan or Roti

Karela Thoran (Bittergourd Bhaji)

This is to tingle the bitter buds on your tongue. This recipe is for a healthy, slightly bitter karela thoran.

Ingredients:
1 onion
3 green chilies
4 bittergourd
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
coconut powder
mustard seeds
oil
salt


Method:
1) Mix finely cut bittergourd with turmeric and chili powder and salt throughly. Keep aside for 20-30 min. This will remove most of the bitterness
2) Splutter mustard seeds in oil and fry onions and cut green chilies.
3) Then add bittergourd and cook till done
4) Add coconut powder and fry for 3 minutes

Serves 4
Serving Suggestion: Serve with rice and kadhi

Vegetable Cutlet

This is a very tasty recipe for making cutlets. My mom makes beef and chicken cutlets. I have ventured to try fish and vegetable ones too. They are yummy and like they say, no one can have just one.

Ingredients:

1. 2 big size potatoes mashed
2. Bunch of cilantro
3. 6 green chilies
4. 1 onion finely cut
5. 2 cup finely cut vegetables (peas, cauliflower, beans)
6. 1 tsp red chili powder
7. ¼ tsp turmeric powder
8. 3 egg whites
9. 4 bread slices
10. Oil
11. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the bread slices in microwave till they become stiff. Grind them in grinder to make breadcrumb powder. The powder should be fine.
2. Fry onion and green chilies. Add chili and turmeric powder.
3. When onion turns transparent, add vegetables and fry till cooked/done. Keep aside for cooling it down.
4. Mix this fried mixture with mashed potato, cilantro and salt to make dough.
5. Divide the dough to make oval shaped patties with this dough. Size is around 3“ long and ¾ “ thick. Press it in centre to flatten it a bit.
6. Roll this patty in egg white and then in breadcrumb powder. Make sure that the patty is coated completely in this powder. To make crunchier cutlets, repeat this step.
7. Deep-fry the patties till the color turns golden brown.
8. Remove the patty from oil, strain oil and place them on tissue to remove excess oil

Serves 4
Serving suggestion: Serve hot with tomato ketchup