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

Kerala style chicken curry

On all our festivals, we have to begin our day with appam and chicken curry. I took it for granted during those days. I crave for it now. Yumm Yumm Yummmyyyyy.

Ingredients:
1) Chicken- cleaned and cut into 1-2 inch pieces - 1 kg

2) lemon juice - 2 tbsp
3) coriander powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
4) yogurt - 1/2 cup
5) salt

6) Onion -1/2
7) Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
8) cloves- 2
9) cardamom - 2
10) cinnamon sticks - 3
11) bay leaves- 2
12) greeen chilies - 5
13) ginger- 1 inch
14) garlic - 3 cloves
15) poppy seeds - 1 tsp
16) curry leaves - few

17) Onion, cut lengthwise - 1 1/2
18) corriander powder- 1 tbsp
19) red chilli powder - 1 tsp
20) turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
21) chicken masala - 3 tbsp
22) Tomato, cut finely -1
23) Coconut milk - 3/4 can
24) Corriander leaves - a bunch
25) Vegetable oil

Method:

1) Marinate chicken in ingredients (2-5) for an hour
2) Fry ingredients (6-16) in canola/veg oil till onion becomes golden brown
3) Grind them with little water to make a paste and keep aside
4) Fry remaining onions till golden brown in remaining oil.
5) Add remaining masalas
6) Then add tomatoes and cook till done.
7) Add chicken pieces along with sufficient water to cook it.
8) When chicken is half done, add ground masala paste and stir
9) After a while, when chicken is almost done, add coconut milk.
10) When chicken is done and oil separates, put off stove
11) Garnish with corriander leaves

Tip: You can adjust spiciness with coconut milk. If you add too much cocnut milk, the result might be sweet. So just add till gravy attains required thickness and tinge of sweetness.
My friend, Sarat, added lotsa lemon juice while marinating and the result was real good. Try it

Serves: 6

Serving Suggestion: Serve with plain rice, kerala parotta or appam

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

Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:
2 can Swanson vegetable/chicken broth
2 tomatoes
2 eggs
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Methods:
1) Heat chopped tomatoes in pan
2) Add broth and bring to boil
3) Add white pepper, salt and egg
4) Stir very slowly in one direction
5) Boil for 1 minute
6) Serve hot with fried noodles as appetizer

Serves 4

Serving Suggestion: Serve with fried noodles

Prawn Pakoda

You must already know my love for shrimp by now! This serves as a delicious appetizer.

Ingredients:
1 cup shrimp (prawns), big size
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
oil

For garnishing:
Onion rings
Cilantro (Coriander leaves)

Method:

1) Apply salt to the shrimp and keep aside.
2) Make thick batter with flour, red chili powder and water. Add salt to taste.
3) Dip the shrimp in the batter and deep fry.
4) Garnish with onion rings and cilantro.

Serves 4

Serving suggestion: Serve as appetizer

PRAWN PAPPAS - Kerala style shrimp curry

This recipe is quite famous in Kerala and is known for its spice. Not for the mild hearted folks :)
I dont know why its called 'pappas' though. I would love to know a reason.

Ingredients:

250 gm Shrimp (Prawns) remove shell and clean
2 Green chili
some Curry leaves

I
1/2 tsp red chili powder
3 tsp Corriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
2 Garlic flakes
1/4 tsp Methi (ulva)

II
Coconut oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 Onion, finely cut
1 tsp garlic flakes
1/2 tsp ginger, finely cut

III
1 ½ cup water
Tamarind (Imli/puli)
salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat ingredients listed in part I, then make a paste and keep aside.
2) Heat oil. Add ingredients in part II and fry
3) Add grinded masala to it and fry
4) Add water, tamarind and salt. Bring it to boil
5) On boiling, reduce gas to medium flame and add green chili, curry leaves and prawns. Cook till gravy is thick as desired.

Tip: Instead of tamarind, fry 3 cut tomatoes fand grind with masalas from part I
Replace 1/2 cup water with coconut milk to add extra flavor

Serves 4
Serving suggestion: with plain rice and buttermilk

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

Lovely recipes....sis...keep it up....help poor souls like us:))))))

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

Meen Vechuthu (Kerala fish curry with fried spices)

This recipe is different from the previous fish curry recipe in the way the spices are treated. Here we fry the spices. This is also traditionally cooked in a vessel called chatti, that imparts a distinct flavor to the curry. Kodumpulli imparts sourness and Red chilli powder makes the dish spicy.

Ingredients:

500 gms King fish , skinned,washed and cut in edible size
3 big kodumpulli(tamarind) ,6 if small size
1 pinch methi powder(ulva powder)
bunch of curry leaves
salt to taste


For Tadka:

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
3 garlic cloves cut length wise
2" piece ginger cut length wise, thinly
7-8 green chillies cut length wise
1 onion cut in small pieces
4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder

Method:

1) Splutter mustard seeds in coconut oil
2) Add ginger, garlic, chillies and onions. Fry till onions turn transparent.
3) then add remaining tadka ingredients and fry for a minute
4) Add fish, kodumpulli, salt and water just above fish level and bring it to boil. Keep boiling for 3 -5 minutes to let fish be cooked
5) Add curry leaves and methi powder

Tip: Add 1 cup coconut milk to make gravy thick

Serves 6
Serving Suggestion: With plain white rice and buttermilk

Meen Vechuthu -pacha podi (Kerala fish curry with raw spices)

This kind of fish curry is made the pacha podi way, meaning the spices are not fried. This is traditionally cooked in a vessel called chatti, that imparts a distinct flavor to the curry. Kodumpulli imparts sourness and Red chilli powder makes the dish spicy. You will be surprised at how tasty this simple turns out to be. Thanks Mamma.

Ingredients:

500 gms King fish , skinned,washed and cut in edible size
2" piece ginger cut length wise, thinly
7-8 green chillies cut length wise
3 big kodumpulli(tamarind) ,6 if small size
4 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
bunch of curry leaves
salt to taste
1 pinch methi powder(ulva powder)
1 tsp coconut oil

Method:

1) Put all ingredients except methi powder and coconut oil in chatti(earthern vessel) and mix together.
2) Pour water till just above the level of the fish mixture and bring it to a boil. keep boiling for 3 minutes (by this time, fish will be cooked)
3) Check for sourness. You can add or remove kodumpulli according to the sourness desired.
4) then add methi powder and hot coconut oil.

Serves 6
Serving Suggestion: With plain white rice and buttermilk

Salsa

A handy homemade dip that no party can do without. Try this simple dip for your next party. Its sure to gain you some raves.

Ingredients:
1 can Rotel tomatoes (Mild with jalapenos)
2 fresh tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 spring onions
salt to taste
lemon juice

Method:
1) Wash all fresh ingredients.
2) Cut tomatoes, garlic and spring onions into small pieces and mix together with the can of Rotel tomatoes.
3) Add salt and lemon juice according to taste.

Tip: If you are the adventurous kind, try the Extra Hot Rotel tomatoes with Jalapenos. Kick off the fire!

Reference: Thanks to Swetha for introducing me to home made salsa.

Serves 6
Serving Suggestion: With Tostitos chips

Palak Dal (Spinach Lentil soup)

I remember how I used to have bowls after bowls of palak dal, at times stealthily, from Mama's kitchen. One ingredient I cant include below is the magic of her fingers. Truly delicious recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Toor Dal
250 gm Spinach leaves
1 pinch asafoetida(hing)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder

For Tadka:

1 tsp cumin seeds
5 green chillies
4 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
curry leaves

1 onion
2 tomatoes

For Seasoning:

salt to taste
lemon juice

Method:

1) Wash spinach leaves throughly. Thaw if frozen.
2) Mix together all ingredients with around 5 cups water, except those listed in Tadka section, in a pressure cooker.
3) Cook on high till 4-5 whistles. Then keep aside to cool and for the lid of cooker to fall off.
4) Fry all tadka ingedients on high flame and add to cooked mixture in cooker.
5) Add salt and a dash of lemon juice according to taste

Serves 4 .
Serving Suggestion: With plain rice, pickle and papad