Bitter gourd fry

Ingredients: 

1. Bitter gourd – ½ kg

2. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp.

3. Chilli powder – 1 tsp.

4. Gram flour (Besan) – 1 tbsp.

5. Sugar – 1 tsp.

6. Coconut oil – 1 tsp.

7. Curry leaves 

8. Monosodium glutamate (ajinomoto) – 1 pinch (only if you prefer)

9. Salt to taste

10. Oil to deep fry (whichever you prefer)

Method:
Deseed the bitter gourds and cut them into 1 inch pieces. Wash and dry the pieces thoroughly. Mix all the ingredients from 1-9 well and marinate for some time.
Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry.

Note:
You can add/decrease the chilli powder, sugar and salt to suit your taste and the variety of bitter gourds available to you.   

Chicken Roast

Ingredients:

Chicken – ½ kg, cubed
Potato - 1 large, cubed
Garlic – 4-5 large cloves
Aniseed – ½ tbsp
Chilly flakes – 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – lots! :D
Coconut oil – 3-4 tbsp
Salt to taste.

Method:

Crush the garlic along with the aniseed. Add this mixture to the chicken and potato pieces, followed by the chilly flakes, turmeric, vinegar, salt and some curry leaves.
Marinate this mixture for half an hour. Then pressure-cook it till 1 whistle. If there is water left in the cooker, leave it open, and cook the mixture until it is dry.
Heat oil in a frying pan and add the sliced onions and the rest of the curry leaves to it. Add the cooked chicken-and-potato mixture to this. Roast on low fire until dry.

Note:

This recipe is same as that of Mutton Roast, except that we have added onions to it. Reason - onions were Rs.70-80 per kilo then but now the price has come down to Rs.20 per kilo. :D

Baked pasta

This is another of my brother's creations. Needless to say, I do not know the exact recipe.

He boiled the pasta and strained it. He also made a sauce out of vegetables (onions, tomatoes, capsicums, carrots, spring onions etc. etc.), eggs and pieces of chicken sausage. He layered the pasta and the sauce in a vessel, covered the mixture with cheese and baked it.

When it came out of the oven, it looked like this:

When it was served, it looked like this:

And, of course, it was delicious!

Mutton roast

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Ingredients:

Mutton – ½ kg, cubed

Potato - 1 large, cubed 

Garlic – 4-5 large cloves

Aniseed – ½  tbsp

Chilly flakes – 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Vinegar - 1 tbsp 

Curry leaves – lots! :D

Coconut oil – 3-4 tbsp

Salt to taste.

Method:

Crush the garlic along with the aniseed. Add this mixture to the mutton and potato pieces, followed by the chilly flakes, turmeric, vinegar, salt and some curry leaves.

Marinate this mixture for half an hour. Then pressure-cook it till 3-4 whistles. If there is water left in the cooker, leave it open, and cook the mixture until it is dry. 

Heat oil in a frying pan and add the rest of the curry leaves to it. Add the cooked mutton-and-potato mixture to this. Roast on low fire until dry.

A long hiatus and wonderful pizza!

It has been long since we have posted here - certainly not because we did not cook anything but because me (the daughter) was caught up in a lot of other things and was so lazy that I did not record anything. :D
Today, my brother baked pizza - base and toppings - the whole lot. So I thought what better way to restart and try to maintain this blog.
Our sincere gratitude to all our visitors and followers. Hope to post more frequently.

Vegetable-mushroom-chicken pizza courtesy my brother:

The topping - onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, chicken pieces, green chillies, capsicum, two types of cheese, spring onions, coriander and mint leaves...yum!

Indescribably delicious end result!

Kaypakka upperi

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INGREDIENTS:

Bitter gourds– 3 medium, diced

Onions – 2 medium, diced

Green chillies – 2-3, diced

Coconut – 1 small cup, grated

Curd – 1 small cup

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Sugar – ½ tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Red chillies – 1-2

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

Curry leaves – a small bunch

Water – as needed

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add red chillies and curry leaves.

Add the diced onions and green chillies. When they turn transparent, add the bitter gourd pieces, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, sugar and water. Cover and keep until the water reduces and the bitter gourd pieces are done. Add curd and mix well.

Add coconut and stir well. Leave on the stove (on low heat) until the mixture is dry.

Peanut chaat

INGREDIENTS:
Peanuts, boiled with salt
Carrots, diced
Onions, diced
Green chillies, diced
Coriander leaves
Mint leaves
Lime/lemon juice
Salt, according to taste
Sugar, according to taste
Chaat masala powder, according to taste
METHOD:
Mix all ingredients except lime/lemon juice and the leaves in a bowl. Sprinkle lime/lemon juice and decorate with the leaves just before you serve.

Chammanthipodi

INGREDIENTS:

1)      Coconut - 4 cups, grated 

Shallots - 2 

Green chillies - 2

Mint leaves - 2/3 leaves

Coriander leaves - 3 stems

Curry leaves - 1 stem 

Asafoetida powder – ½ teaspoon

Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon

Tamarind pulp – 1 teaspoon

Sugar – 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste  

2) Red chillies – 10
3) Urad dal – 2 tablespoons
4) Tuar dal – 1 tablespoon
5) Raw rice – 1 tablespoon

METHOD:
Dry roast all ingredients in list 1 on slow heat until there is no water content left in the coconut and the mixture turns brown.
Dry roast 2,3,4, and 5 separately for five minutes each.
Let all ingredients cool down.
Grind list 1 ingredients in a mixer/grinder. Similarly, grind all the other ingredients together. Ensure that the ingredients are not ground into a smooth powder.
Add both the ground mixtures in a frying pan and dry roast on slow heat for five minutes. When this cools down, grind once more in a mixer/grinder.

POSTSCRIPT: You can increase/decrease chillies to suit your taste. 

Pudina (mint) chutney

INGREDIENTS:
Mint leaves – 2 tbsp
Coconut – 2 cups, grated
Red chillies – 6
Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
Shallots – 2
Tamarind pulp – 1 tsp
Sugar – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves

METHOD:
Dry roast the red chillies and coconut for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and grind, without adding water.

Simple vegetable rice

INGREDIENTS:
Basmati rice – 3 cups
Water – 5 cups
Coconut milk – 1 cup
Onions – 1 large, chopped
Green chillies – 6, chopped
Carrots – 1 cup, chopped
Green peas – 1 cup
Capsicum – ½ cup, chopped
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves – a little, chopped
Mint leaves - a little, chopped

METHOD:
Wash the rice and keep aside.
Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Add onions and green chillies and sauté them. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and garam masala powder. Mix well.
Add all the vegetables and sauté for some time. Add the rice and sauté well for 5 minutes. Add water and coconut milk, followed by salt and sugar. Close the pan with a lid and cook until there is no water content.
Remove from the stove and garnish with coriander and mint leaves.

Postscript:
Ensure that you change the amount of water according to the rice (quality/type) you have.

Erivu dosa

INGREDIENTS:
Parboiled rice – 1½ cups
Raw rice – ½ cup
Toor dal – ¾ cup
Urad dal – ¼ cup
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 6
Green chillies – 4
Shallots – 8
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 2 stems
Salt to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Oil - as needed

METHOD:
Soak the parboiled rice, raw rice and fenugreek for 4 hours. In another vessel, soak toor dal, urad dal and red chillies for the same duration.
Grind the soaked rice and fenugreek for some time. When it is almost half ground, add the soaked urad dal, toor dal, red chillies, green chillies, shallots, cumin seeds, asafoetida, 1 stem curry leaves, salt and sugar.
Grind all these to a coarse batter. The batter should not be as loose as the usual dosa batter.

Remove from the grinder/mixer, and add the rest of the curry leaves.
Make dosas as you would make usual dosas. Serve with coconut chutney/sambar or even sugar!

Postscript:
Make dosas soon after you grind the ingredients. If there is any leftover batter, ensure that you store it in the freezer so that it does not turn sour.

Vegetable curd rice

INGREDIENTS:
Rice – 4 large cups, cooked
Curd – 4 cups
Vegetables (cabbage, carrot, onions, tomatoes) – 1 small cup each, finely chopped/sliced
Green chillies – 5/6, finely chopped
Ginger – 1 inch piece, diced
Salt to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp

Seasoning:
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Red chillies – 4/5
Mustard seeds – 2 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Toor dal – 1 tsp
Cashew nuts – 10, split
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

METHOD:
Mix the rice, curd, salt and sugar well. Keep aside.
Heat ghee in a pan. Add cashew nuts and sauté until light brown. Remove them and keep aside.
Add oil to the remaining ghee. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add urad dal, toor dal, red chillies and curry leaves. Add green chillies and ginger and sauté for some time, followed by the vegetables and 1/2 tsp salt. Sauté well.
Add the rice mixture to it and mix well. Add cashew nuts and take off the stove.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Idichakka pulincurry

INGREDIENTS:
Idichakka (tender jackfruit) – ½ of a small one, cleaned and cubed
Toor dal – ½ cup
Onions – 1, large
Tomatoes – 2, medium
Green chillies – 3/4
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Tamarind pulp – 2 tsp
Asafoetida – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Water as needed

Masala paste:
Coconut – 1 cup, grated
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Shallots – 2/3

Seasoning:
Oil – ½ tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 2
Curry leaves
Fenugreek seeds – 1 pinch

METHOD:
Grind the coconut, cumin seeds and shallots to a fine paste.

Cook the jackfruit, tomatoes and toor dal along with turmeric powder and chilli powder until done. Add onions, green chillies and salt, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tamarind pulp along with a little water. Bring to a boil.
Add the ground paste and asafoetida. Now add enough water and boil it. Take off the stove.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add red chillies, fenugreek and curry leaves. When fenugreek seeds turn brown, pour onto the curry.

Prawn fry

Ingredients:
Prawns – 250 gms

MARINADE:
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Shallot paste – 1 tbsp
Garlic paste – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves

FRY:
Onions – 1 large, cubed
Tomatoes – 1, cubed
Green chillies – 4/5, slit
Curry leaves
Soy sauce – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 pinch
Monosodium glutamate – 1 pinch
Oil – 1½ tbsp
Salt – ½ tsp

METHOD:
Mix the ingredients for the marinade, apply it to the prawns and marinate for 2 hours.
Boil the prawns in the marinade until the water content is reduced.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry the boiled prawns for about 5 minutes and remove them from the pan.
In the same oil, add onions and green chillies. When onions turn transparent, add tomatoes and curry leaves.

Add soy sauce, sugar, monosodium glutamate and salt, and mix well. Now add the prawns and sauté well. Take off the stove.

Toasted sandwiches

Ingredients:
Potatoes – 4 large, boiled and mashed
Onions – 2 large, chopped
Tomatoes – 2 large, chopped
Chicken breasts – 1 cup, boiled (with salt and black pepper) and shredded
Eggs – 2, mixed with a pinch each of salt and black pepper powder
Green chillies – 4, chopped
Ginger – 2 inch piece, finely chopped
Curry leaves, coriander and mint leaves – finely chopped

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Black pepper powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Monosodium glutamate – ½ tsp
Soy sauce – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water – ¼ cup
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Bread – 2 loaves, sliced
Butter/ghee – as needed

Method:

Filling:
Heat a pan with oil in it. Add green chillies and ginger and sauté for some time. Add onions and sauté until transparent. Add soy sauce, followed by turmeric, chilli, coriander, black pepper and garam masala powders, and mix well. Add tomatoes and chicken pieces. After mixing well, add potatoes. Add salt, sugar and monosodium glutamate. Add water and stir the mixture for 5 minutes. Add eggs to it and mix well for 5 more minutes until there is no water content. Add the leaves, mix well and take off the stove.

Sandwiches:

Take two slices of bread, apply butter/ghee on all four corners and in the middle on one side. Keep the sides with the butter facing each other. Place the filling on the side turned upward.

Remember to keep this side up when you place it on the toaster. Cover this with the other slice, keeping the buttered side up. Close the toaster.

Cook until both sides are golden brown.

Postscript:
1. You can use any filling to make toasted sandwiches.
2. We always butter the slices, add the filling and keep them ready so that we save time and gas while cooking them.
3. We made 20 sandwiches from 2 loaves of bread and this filling.

Garam Masala Powder

Ingredients:
Cinnamon - 1 tablespoon
Cloves - 1 tablespoon
Fennel seeds/Aniseed - one and a half tablespoons
Poppy seeds/Khus khus - 1 level tablespoon
Black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Cardamom - 1 teaspoon

Method:
Heat all the ingredients in a frying pan for 2-3 minutes or until they are all well dried. Alternatively, you can dry them in the sun.
Grind them into a fine powder.

Postscript:
We do not use nutmeg, mace, cumin or star anise. You can add or reduce ingredients according to your taste.

Chicken curry

Ingredients:
Chicken – 1 kg, cleaned and cut into pieces
Onions – 3 medium, sliced
Potatoes – 3 medium, cut into pieces
Tomatoes – 3 medium, chopped
Green chillies – 5/6, slit
Ginger – 1 large piece, chopped
Chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp
Water – 2 small cups
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Sugar – 1 tsp (optional)
Monosodium glutamate – ½ tsp (optional)

Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Sauté the ginger, green chillies and curry leaves for some time. Add the onions and sauté until transparent.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder and sauté well. Add tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add potatoes and sauté them also for 5 minutes. Now add the chicken pieces, followed by salt, sugar and monosodium glutamate, and mix well.
Pour water, mix well and close the cooker. Place the weight. Cook for two/three whistles so that the potatoes are well done. Take off the stove.
Open the cooker and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.



Postscript:
You can add a little coconut milk when you serve the curry. It adds to the flavor and reduces the spiciness.

Chena elesseri

Ingredients:
Yam – 250 gms, cubed
Toor dal – 1 cup, boiled
Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coconut – 2 cups, grated
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Pepper – 6 nos.
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 2/3
Oil – 1 tsp
Ghee – 2 tsp

Method:
Keep one tablespoon of coconut aside. Grind the remaining along with cumin and pepper into a paste.
Boil the yam pieces in enough water, with chilli powder and turmeric powder. When they are done and the water reduces, add salt. Add the boiled toor dal, followed by the ground paste.
Bring the mixture to a boil, ensuring that there is as much gravy as you want. Take off the stove.
Heat the oil and ghee in a frying pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the one tablespoon of coconut (which you kept aside) and red chillies. When the coconut turns light brown, pour on to the mixture.

Postscript:
We used ghee because it adds to the taste and aroma of the elesseri.

Rava Kesari

Ingredients:
Rava (semolina) – 250 gms
Condensed milk (Milkmaid) – 1 tin
Ghee (Clarified butter) – ¾ - 1 cup
Water – 4 cups (600ml)
Cashew nuts – as needed (optional)
Raisins – as needed (optional)
Saffron/yellow food color – 1 pinch (optional)

Method:
Heat ghee in a pan, and sauté the cashew nuts and raisins until they turn brown. Remove and keep aside.
In the remaining ghee, sauté the rava until it turns light brown.
In the water, mix the saffron/food color and add it to the rava. When the water is absorbed fully, add the condensed milk. Stir continuously until the mixture starts coming off the sides of the pan. Take off the stove.

Transfer the mixture to a plate greased with ghee. When it cools, cut into small diamond-shaped pieces. Decorate with cashew nuts and raisins.

Postscript:
1. If you want your kesari to be very sweet, you can mix sugar in the water you add to the rava.
2. You can also add cardamom powder to flavor the kesari. We haven’t.

Koova veragiyathu (Arrowroot pudding)

This dish is usually made on Thiruvathira. However, we decided to make it now because it cools the stomach and is ideal to counter the summer heat.

Ingredients:
Arrowroot powder – 1 cup
Water – 4 cups
Jaggery – 100 gms
Coconut – 1 cup, grated
Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tbsp (optional)
Cardamom powder – 1 pinch (optional)

Method:
Mix the arrowroot powder and water well in a pan, ensuring that there are no lumps. Add the jaggery. Keep the pan on the stove. Stir continuously until the powder turns transparent and the mixture thickens. Add the ghee and coconut (and cardamom powder, if you are using it) and take off the stove.

Postscript:
If the jaggery you have is clean, you can add it as it is. If not, melt it in water, strain it and add this syrup instead.