Egg curry - kerala style

Ingredients :

1. Boiled eggs - 3 nos
2. Onion - 2 nos
3. Oil - 1 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
5. Curryleaves - 1 tbsp
6. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
7. Green chillies - 2 nos
8. Tomatos - 1 no
9. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
10. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
11. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Garam masala - 1 tsp
13. Salt to taste
14. Corriander leaves - for garnishing

Direction to cook :

1.   Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, green chillies & sliced onions.  Saute till tender.

2.   Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, salt & tomatoes.  Saute.

3.   Add garam masala, boiled eggs.  Cook for few mins.

4.   Finally, garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve with idiyappam. 

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Bread French Toast

Ingredients :

1. Bread slices - 6 nos
2. Milk - 3/4 cup
3. Egg - 1 no (lightly beaten)
4. Sugar to taste
5. Black pepper powder or Zimt or vanilla essence - 1 tsp
6. Oil for frying

Direction to cook :

Combine together the milk, egg, sugar & black pepper powder.  Heat the pan, dip the bread slices in the egg mixture.  Drizzle some oil & cook the bread slices till done.

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Simple vegetable sandwich

Quick & simple sandwich which taste delicious & perfect breakfast menu.

Ingredients :

1. Bread slices - 6 slices 
2. Tomato ketchup
3. Mayonnaise
4. Mint chutney
5. Onion slices
6. Tomato slices
7. Capsicum slices
8. Cucumber slices

Method :

1.   Spread the tomato ketchup, mint chutney in two slices of bread.

2.   Now fill the onion, tomato, capsicum, cucumber slices & mayonnaise between the bread slices & toast it in the sandwich maker till done.

Serve immediately.   

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Aloo jeera

Very easy to make & taste perfect with rice.  I like to serve this with curd rice in my busy days.  It taste really great and awesome traditional Indian dish.

Ingredients :

1. Potatoes -  4 medium sized
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
4. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
6. Red chillies - 2 nos
7. Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
8. Onion - 1 no
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Red chilly powder to taste
11. Corriander powder - 1 tsp
12. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
13. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.   Boil the potatoes & dice them.  Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, curry leaves and chopped onions.  Saute till tender.

2.   Add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and salt.  Saute.

3.   Add red chilly powder, corriander powder, cumin powder & little water.  Saute till cooked.

4.   Add the potatoes & saute.  If needed, garnish it with finely chopped corriander leaves.

Ready to serve.

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Toor Dal Chapathi / Roti

My plan was to  make a plain rotis for the dinner yesterday.  But, I had some leftover boiled dal & finally made this delicious dal rotis which taste great with spicy and hot tomato chutney.  Very healthy & protein rich rotis perfect for everyone.

Ingredients :

1. Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup
2. Boiled toor dal - 1/4 cup
3. Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.  Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough with water.  Keep aside for 1/2 hr.

2.   Divide the dough into equal balls & roll them like disc shape.  Cook them on preheated pan on either side until done.

Serve it with hot tomato chutney.

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Rice Payasam

Happy Dasera to the viewers.  Rice payasam most popular Indian sweet pudding can be served either warm or cold.  I make it more rich by reducing the milk to half the quantity and adding nuts to taste.  If you want the lighter version you can skip the process of reducing the milk to half and just boil it along with the rice and cook till done.  Even condensed milk can be added to the payasam for more taste.  Wonderful & delicious sweet perfect for this season.

Ingredients :

1. Basmati rice - 1/4 cup
2. Milk - 4 cups
3. Sugar to taste
4. Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Saffron strands - few 
6. Roasted cashew nuts - 1 tbsp
7. Ghee - 1 tbsp

Direction to cook :

1.   Heat ghee in the pan, add rice & fry till light golden brown in color.  Allow to cool.

2.   Coarsely grind the rice & keep aside.

3.   Boil the 4 cups of milk till it becomes 2 1/2 cup.  Add the rice & cook.

4.   Add the sugar, cardamom powder, roasted nuts & saffron strands.

Serve warm or cold.

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Kothamalli Thokku (Corriander leaf paste)

I'm back with most comfort and excited dish which plays more prominant role in my kitchen every lazy days.  Fresh corriander leaves are used for this preparation and grinded along with the spices.  This can be refrigerated for a week or more.  Add a proportionate measure of kothamalli thokku to the rice and mix well- It taste simply delicious.  Can serve with dosai and idly too.

Ingredients :

1. Corriander leaves - 1 bunch
2. Tamarind - lime sized
3. Black gram (urad dal) - 1 tbsp
4. Jaggery - 1 tsp
5. Chilly powder to spice
6. Salt to taste
7. Gingilli oil

Direction to cook :

1.   Dry roast the urad dal.  Keep aside.

2.   Heat oil in the pan, add corriander leaves and salt to taste.  Allow to cool.

3.   Grind together the corriander leaves and urad dal together to smooth paste.

4.   Heat oil in the pan, add the grounded paste, tamarind juice, red chilly powder,  filtered jaggery water & cook over the low heat till oil seperates.

Serve it with rice, idly and dosai.

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Shaku Shaku Chicken Curry

Easy and very fast to make this delicious chicken curry.  Perfect side dish for both rice and rotis. 

Ingredients :

1. Chicken - 1 Kg
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Cinnamon stick - 1 no
4. Cloves - 2 nos
5. Cardamom - 1 no
6. Onion - 2 nos
7. Tomaotes - 2 nos
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
10. Chilly powder to taste
11. Corriander powder - 1 tbsp
12. Corriander leaves for garnishing
13. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.   Heat oil in the pressure cooker, add cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom.

2.   Add finely chopped onions and then turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste.

3.   Add finely chopped tomatoes and salt to taste.

4.   Add chilly powder and corriander powder and finally the chicken pieces.

5.   Pressure cook the chicken curry  till done.  Garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve it with rice or rotis.

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Corriander leaf Podi - Perfect with rice

Every weekend lunch always starts with this delicious podi mixed in rice with a tsp of ghee.  Sometimes, I use this for dosa & idlies too. Very easy to make & comfort dish too :)

Ingredients :

1. Urad dal - 1 cup
2. Channa dal - 1/2 cup
3. Red chillies - 11 nos
4. Poppy seed - 1 tbsp
5. Dessicated coconut - 2 tbsp
6. Corriander leaves - 1 large bunch
7. Tamarind - 1 inch round shape
8. Salt to taste

Method :

1.  Dry roast all the ingredients seperately (Do not use oil). 

2.  Mix all the roasted ingredients together & cool. 

3.  Grind them along with the salt to the fine powder.

Serve with rice & ghee.

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Tomato Curry - Perfect side dish for rotis

 Simple, easy, delicious & my comfort side dish which taste absolutely perfect with rotis.

Ingredients :

1. Tomatoes - 5 nos
2. Salt to taste
3. Oil - 1 tbsp
4. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
5. Urad dal - 1 tsp
6. Green chillies - 3 to 4 nos (to spice)
7. A pinch of hing
8. Salt to taste
9. Corriander leaves for garnishing

Direction to Cook :

1.   Cube the tomatoes & keep aside.

2.   Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing & green chillies.

3.   Add the chopped tomatoes & salt to taste.  Cook until done.

4.   Garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve it with rotis.

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Hot & spicy raita - A perfect Dip

Raita the most popular south Indian dip can be made in different variations.  This is simple & easy way of making raita just with onion & tomato as the main ingredients.  Addition of grounded coconut spicy paste adds the flavour & taste simply delicious.  Perfect side dish for biryani & I served it with chicken biryani this weekend.

Ingredients :

1. Curd - 1 cup
2. Onion - 1 no (Finely chopped)
3. Tomato - 1/2 no (chopped)
4. Mint leaves - 1/4 cup ( Finely chopped)
5. Corriander leaves - 1 tbsp (Finely chopped)
6. Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
7. Green chillies to spice
8. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
9. Chaat masala to sprinkle
10. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.   Grind together the coconut, cumin seeds & green chillies.

2.   Combine all the ingredients together along with the grounded masala.  Adjust the salt to taste.

Sprinkle the chaat masala & serve it with biryani.

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Chickpeas Pulav

Most of the days, I will be running out of time in the mornings.  Rice being the stable food at home, has its different ways to serve.  To make it more healthy, we try to add vegetables & present it more nutritious.  Addition of chick peas & potato makes the dish really tasty & quick to make.   I like to serve it with onion raita or with pakoda.  Its optional to use pulav masala for this dish.  Fried bread pieces can be used for garnishing.  It taste yum !!!

Ingredients :

1. Basmati Rice - 1 cup
2. Water - 1 cup
3. Chick peas - 1/2 cup (Soaked in water overnight)
4. Oil - 1 tbsp
5. Cinnamon stick - 1 no
6. Cloves - 3 nos
7. Cardamom - 1 no
8. Bay leaf - 1 no
9. Onion (sliced lengthwise) - 1/4 cup
10. Potato - 1 large sized
11. Chilly powder - 1 tsp (to spice)
12. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
13. Salt to taste
14. Lemon juice - 1/4 tsp
15. Pulav masala - 1/4 tsp (optional)
16. Corriander leaves & roasted cashewnuts for garnishing

Direction to Cook :

1.   Heat oil in the pressure cooker, add cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf & sliced onions.  Saute till tender.

2.   Add cubed potatoes, turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt to taste & basmati rice.  Saute it well until aromatic and the rice becomes translucent. 

3.   Drain & add the chick peas, lemon juice, pulav masala, water & little corriander leaves.  Pressure cook it till done.

4.   Garnish it with corriander leaves & roasted cashew nuts.

Serve it warm.

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Vangibath (Brinjal Rice)

Happy valentines day to all my viewers. This is my most comfort & tasty rice variety, which I cook very often for my DH lunch box.  I always prepare the vangibath powder & store it in the freezer for a week or more.  It makes my cooking very simple & easy.  Best way to serve this rice is with papads or with raitas as well.  

Ingredients :

1. Green / purple Brinjal - 100 gms (or eggplant - 1 medium sized)
2. Basmati rice - 1 cup
3. Oil - 1 tbsp
4. Channa dal - 1 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
6. Tamarind pulp -1/2 tsp
7. A pinch of jaggery
8. Onion - 1 no
9. Potato - 1 small sized
10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Vangibhath powder 
12. Dry coconut powder - 1 tsp
13. Roasted cashewnuts for garnishing
14. Salt to taste

For vangibhath powder :

1. Red chillis - 2 nos (or black pepper corns)
2. Corriander seeds - 1 tsp
3. Poppy seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Urad Dal - 1 tsp
5. Channa Dal - 1 tsp
6. Dry coconut powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Cinnamon stick - 1 no
8. Clove - 2 nos
9. Sesame seeds - 1/4 tsp
10. 1/4 tsp hing

Dry roast the above ingredients & grind it to smooth powder.

Direction to cook :

1.   Cook the rice & allow it to cool.

2.   Meanwhile, heat oil in the pan.   Add channa dal, mustard seeds, finely chopped onions & then cut potato slices.  Cook till tender.

3.   Slice the brinjals in lengthwise & add them to the above mixture.  Add turmeric powder & salt to taste.

4.   Add tamarind pulp & coconut powder.  Cook till brinjals are done.

5.   Now add grounded vangibath powder & a pinch of jaggery.  Add cooked rice & mix them throughly till nicely combined.

6.   Add roasted cashewnuts.

Serve with papads or raita.

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Red rice Roti - Very healthy

Most comfort & involves less time to make this simple and delicious red rice roti.  Very healthy & heavy good for kids.  It taste extremly awesome when served with spicy tomato chutney.  Good way to make use of red rice flour apart from making puttu.  My entire family is the great fan for this simple dish.

Ingredients :

1. Red Rice Flour - 1 cup
2. Grated vegetables (Carrot, cucumber) - 1 cup
3. Chopped onion - 1 no
4. Green chillies - 2 nos
5. Coarsely grounded peanut - 1 tbsp
6. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
7. Corriander leaves - 1 tbsp
8. Channa dal - 1 tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Oil for frying

Direction to cook :

1.   Combine together rice flour, grated vegetables, onion, green chillies, curry leaves, corriander leaves, peanut powder, channa dal & salt to taste.

2.   Knead the dough without using water.

3.   Divide the dough into equal parts & roll them into circle. (I use my palm).

4.   Meanwhile heat the pan, apply oil and cook the roti on either side till done.

Serve with tomato chutney.

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Avial

Avial is the most popular kerala dish prepared with lotz of vegetables & coconut oil which adds flavour to the dish.  Healthy way of adding vegetables in the daily routine.  Tangy & creamy taste perfect with vathakuzhambu & adai.

Ingredients :

1. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
4. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
5. Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
6. Green chillies - 3 to 4 nos
7. Sour curd - 1/4 cup
8. Vegetables (Carrot, beans, yam, brinjal, cucumber, peas, pumpkin, drumstick, elephants foot, raw banana) - 1 cup
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Salt to taste

Direction to cook :

1.   Cook the vegetables & keep aside.

2.   Grind the grated coconut with green chillies & cumin seeds.  Keep aside.

3.   Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds & curry leaves.  Add the boiled vegetables & saute.

4.   Add the grounded paste, turmeric powder & sour curd.  Cover & cook over low flame.

Serve with rice or adai.

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Sweet & sour mango chutney with cinnamon flavour

I bought some raw mangoes last week.  This time, I wanna to try something new but sweet.  And, finally found some recipes with little modification my dish turned out really superb.  Sweet jaggery, sour mango with a pinch of cinnamon tasted delicious.  I had this with curd rice, rotis & with bread as well.  

Ingredients :

1. Sour raw mango - 1 no
2. Jaggery to taste ( I used little more than 1/2 cup)
3. Water to cook the mango
4. Cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp

Direction to cook :

1.   Peel the skin of mango & cut them into cubes.

2.   Cover & boil the mango in the water till done.

3.   Add jaggery powder & cook for 5 more mins on medium flame.

4.   Finally, add cinnamon powder (or cardamom powder / cloves) & cook till the sauce is thick.

Serve it warm or cold.

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More Kuzhambu

Most comfortable dish & easy to make best served with rice.  It taste simply delicious.  I  serve this curry with potato methi fry & pickle.  This can be prepared with or without vegetables.  Ladies finger & yam is most commonly used vegetables for this preparation.  Thick & creamy in hot spicy powder garnished with Indian seasonings makes this curry a signature dish in my house. 

Ingredients :

1. Oil - 1 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. A pinch of hing
5. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
6. Red chillies - 2 nos
7. Curd (preferably buttermilk) - 2 cup
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Vegetables (ladies finger / yam) - 1/4 cup
10. Salt to taste
11. Corriander leaves for garnishing

To grind :

1. Green chillies - 2 nos
2. Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
3. Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
4. Roasted gram dal (potukadalai) -  1tsp
5. Toor dal - 2 tbsp (soaked in water for atleast 1 hr)
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste

Directions to Cook :

1.   Mix the grounded paste to the curd.  Keep aside.

2.   Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, hing, curry leaves, red chillies, turmeric powder & vegetables.  Saute till vegetables are cooked.

3.   Pour the curd mixture & stir continuously.  Add salt to taste.

4.   Cook till the kuzhambu is thick in consistency.  Garnish it with corriander leaves.

Serve with rice.

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Chickpeas Sundal

Different varieties of sundals are normally prepared during navarathiri season.  Any kind of bean seeds can be used though chickpeas is most commonly preferred.  Very rich in protein, fiber & perfect for hungry kids returning from school.  I like to add some cut raw mangos during the season.  It taste simply delicious!!!

Ingredients :

1. Chick peas - 1 cup
2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
3. Ghee - 1 tbsp (or oil)
4. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
5. Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
6. A pinch of hing
7. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
9. Red chillies - 4 to 5 nos
10. Onion - 1/2 no
11. Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
12. Coconut (cut into tiny pieces) - 1/4 cup
13. Salt to taste

Direction to Cook :

1.   Wash & soak the chick peas, overnight.  Pressure cook the soaked chick peas in the salted water till done.

2.   Heat ghee/oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing, cumin seeds, curry leaves, red chillies and finely chopped onion.  Saute till tender.

3.   Add turmeric powder & chilly powder.  Saute for 2 more mins.

4.   Drain the water from the cooked chick peas & add it to the onion mixture.

5.   Finally, add the coconut pieces.  Stir for 3 more mins on medium flame.  Adjust the salt.

Ready to serve.

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