INDRI APPAM

1. Rice powder – 1 cup
2. Urad dal (uzhunnu) – ¼ cup
3. Coconut –   1 cup, heaped
   Garlic – 1 if it is big and 2  if its small
   Small onion – 3-5
   Jeera – a pinch
4. Water – 1 – 1 1/2 cups

Soak urad dal for 2 hours and grind it into a smooth paste by adding little water. Grind coconut with garlic, small onion and jeera with little water, until everything is combined well. Add salt & keep the water to boil, when bubbles start appearing add rice powder, little by little (vattikuzhakkuka) , making sure its not watery. The dough should be soft.  Add urad dal paste and coconut paste. Combine everything well. The consistency of batter  should be same as that of Idli batter. Transfer the batter to a well greased steaming tin. Place the cross made with palm leaves on the middle of the batter. Cover the tin with aluminium foil. Steam in appachembu/steamer  for 18 – 23 minutes. Let it cool for sometime and then transfer to a serving dish. Use the same flame till the end, ie if you are using medium flame, cook on medium flame through out.
Notes: I generally use the smallest burner in the stove to steam the appam. If you find it difficult to transfer the appam from steaming dish, place the steaming dish in cold water for sometime and then transfer the appam to a serving plate. I use Nirapara appam & Idiyappam podi to make Indri appam.

Paal Recipe

1. Jaggery – 400gm
2. Medium thick coconut milk – 3 cup
3. Thick coconut milk – 1 cup

Melt jaggery with  a little water. When it is completely melted, strain it. Add 3 cups medium thick coconut milk and stir continuously and when more than half  of it is evaporated, add thick coconut milk and stir well. Do not boil once the thick coconut milk is added. For thickening the paal, take 1 or 2 tbsp rice powder and mix it with hot water and add to paal and cook for a few minutes.

BEETROOT PACHADI

Beetroot Pachadi

I wish everyone a joyous,Funfilled and yummy onam........

Beetroot Pachadi is made the same way as Mango pachadi...Its my mother in laws recipe...

Ingredients:-

Beetroot - 1 nos finely chopped

Onion - 1 nos finely chopped

Ginger - finely chopped 2 tsp

Green chillies - 4 Splitted

Curd - 1 cup

Curry leaves

Mustard seeds

shallots

Oil

Red chilli

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and saute finley chopped onion,ginger and green chillies .Saute it well for 2 minutes
• Add finley chopped beetroot and saute it again for 2 minutes.
• Cook it in medium flame by adding 1/4 cup water.When it is cooked remove from fire
• Let the mixture cool ...and then add thick curd to it and mix it well.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,curry leaves.when it splutter add red chilli and shallots
• Pour this over the beetroot and combine it well!!

KURUMULAKU ALOO

Kurumulaku Aloo

Pepper Potato

Ingredients:-

Potato - 3 medium nos

Onion chopped - 1 medium

Crushed pepper - 2 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp

green chilies chopped 2 nos

Salt to taste

Oil

Mustard Seeds

How to make :-

• Clean and cube the Potatoes
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.Let them pop up
• Fry cumin seeds and crushed pepper for a minute,add chopped onion and fry until they are soft
• Add GGP ,chopped green chiles ,Turmeric powder and stir well
• Add cubed potatoes and season with salt. Sauté it well
• Pour in 1/2 cup of warm water and cook covered on a medium heat until the potatoes are tender.(Add more water ,if the potatoes aren't cooked well)
• Remove the lid and sauté it for 2 minutes
• Remove from fire and garnish with chopped green chilies

Serve warm !!!!!

MEEN MAPPAS

Fish Curry with Coconut milk and Tomato

Ingredients:-

Fish - 1/2 kg
Shallots/Small onion chopped - 1/2 cup
Tomato quartered - 1
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Garlic chopped - 1 tsp
Green chillies -
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
fenugreek powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Thin coconut milk - 1 1/2 cup
Thick coconut milk -1/2 cu
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds

How to make Fish Mappas/ Meen mappas;

• Clean and cut the fish into big pieces(you can use any fish you want,even you can make chemmen mappas in the same way.I used King fish)
• In a mortar &pestle or coffe grinder crush ginger garlic and chopped shallots (or you can use it as chopped )
• In a bowl mix all the powders to make a paste
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.When they pop up add curry leaves,green chillies,Crushed spices and sauté well.When they have a flavor add the masala powder's paste and mix it well
• Add thin coconut milk and mix through thoroughly
• Add the fish pieces, salt and quartered tomato and simmer it covered for 15 minutes or until the fish pieces are cooked
• When the fish is cooked and the gravy is thick add thick coconut milk , swirl it around the pan and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Remove before it boils.

Serve warm

PALKATTI PARIPPU CURRY (cottage cheese)

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi) powder
2. 200 gms Palkatti (cottage cheese)
3. 2 tblsp red chili powder 
4. salt  to taste
5. 1tblsp. lemon juice
6. 5 tblsp ghee
7. 100 gms chana dal
8. 2 tsp sugar (cheeni)
9. spices:
10. 3 black papers (kali mirch danna)
11. 3 clove (laung)
12. 2 cinnamon (dalchini) 
13. 2 black cardamom (elaichi moti)
14. 2 bay leaves (tej patta)

Method:

• Roast all ingredients for masala in 1/2 tsp oil and grind to make the powder.
• Soak chana dal for 3-4 hours in water.
• Cut Palkatti (paneer) into pieces and fry in ghee.
• In a pot melt ghee and mix in masala powder.
• After 2 minutes mix in the chana dal, salt, red chili powder and turmeric powder.
• Add a little water and stir fry on medium heat.
• When the dal is cooked, mix in sugar and lemon juice and stir.
• Mix paneer pieces and serve warm.

PARI KIZHANGU CURRY

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup cooked moong dal
2. 2-3 boiled medium size potatoes
3. 2-3 medium tomatoes
4. 4-5 nos. green chillies
5. half inch piece grated ginger
6. few sprigs of curry leaves
7. few sprigs of coriander leaves
8. For Seasonings
9. 1 tsp mustard seeds
10. 1 tsp jeera
11. 1/2 tsp methi seeds(optional)
12. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
13. 1/2 tblsp oil/ghee

Method

• Heat oil, add the seasonings, tomatoes, green chilly, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves and fry well on medium flame till oil floats.
• Add the boiled potatoes, cooked dal & boil it for 5 -7 minutes. (can add water to dilute).
• Serve hot with Pulkas/ Roti/ Rice/ Puris.

DAL RADISH

INGREDIENS
1 cup toovar dal (soaked in water for one hour)
2 radishes
1 large tomato
1 large onion
1 tblsp sambhar powder
1 tsp jaggery
2 tblsp finely grated coconut
a little mustard
2 sprigs of curry leaves
6 whole cashewnuts
2 tblsp oil
Salt to taste

METHOD

• Wash, peel and cut radish in round pieces.
• Put mustard in a wok and when it splutters fry chopped onion till golden brown.
• Add curry leaves, chopped tomatoes. grated coconut and fry for a few minutes.
• Put sambhar masala and stir.
• Now, add toovar dal and radish pieces.
• Put salt and two cups of water and cook on low heat.
• when it is done serve with hot rice.

KORI GASSI (Manglorian Chicken Curry)

INGREDIENS

1.  500 gm chicken

2. 1 coconut-grated

3. 20 gm whole red chillies

4. 15 gm coriander

5. 1 tsp peppercorns

6. 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

7. 100 gm onions

8. 1 tsp cumin

9. 20 ml refined oil

10. 30 gm tamarind pulp

11. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

12. 4 flakes of garlic

13. 250 ml wat

METHOD

•  Roast the red chillies, coriander, peppercorns, cumin and the fenugreek seeds in oil.
• Grind together the grated coconut, garlic and roasted masalato a fine paste with a little water.
• Marinate the chicken with salt and turmeric for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil. Add onions. Saut?ill a light brown.
• Add masala and cook for 20 minutes.
• Put in 250 ml of water and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add chicken and cook until done. Put in the tamarind pulp.
• Add the tadka made with the cumin, fenugreek seeds and the onions.

Served with Rice or Roties

MUGLAI PARATHA

Ingredients

250 gms plain flour (maida)
4 big size potatoes
2 tbsp besan (Bengal gram flour)
1 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
100 gms oil
1 small piece ginger (adrak)
2 green chillies
1 tsp garam masala
salt (to taste)
1 small bunch coriander (dhania)
1/2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)

Method

• Mix oil and salt in plain flour. 
• Make dough with water as parathas. 
• Boil potatoes and peel them. 
• Do small pieces of them. 
• Grate ginger,cut green chillies in small pieces. 
• mix garam masala,salt,ginger, green chillies ,mango powder in potatoes. 
• Make small puris of plain flour then puri ko slightly seke.then equally spread potato masala on puris 
• Spred ths grem flour paste on the potatoes. 
• Then spred tilli and spred corriander leaves. 
• fry both the sides and cover it with a plate. touch some oil

Chicken Muglai Biryani Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• 500g/18 oz chicken, skinned and cubed
• 150ml/2/3 cup natural (plain) yoghurt
• 3 large cloves garlic
• 2.5cm/1 in ginger root
• 150ml/2/3 cup oil
• 5 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 5ml/1 tsp cumin seeds
• 5ml/1 tsp garam masala
• 5ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
• salt
• 225g/8 oz canned tomatoes
• 100ml/6 1/2 tbsp water
• 30ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Rice

• 45ml/3 tbsp ghee
• 5ml/1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 bay leaves
• 150g/5 oz basmati or patna rice
• 5ml/1 tsp garam masala
• 1.5ml/1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1.5ml/1/4 tsp ground mace
• salt
• 100g/2/3 cup raisins
• 50g/1/2 cup blanched almonds, halved
• 50g/2 oz cashew nuts, halved
• 300ml/11 fl oz water
• 1.5ml/1/4 tsp saffron
• 45ml/3 tbsp warm milk

---

Method:

1. Blend the yoghurt, garlic and ginger to a smooth paste in a blender or food processor. Add the chicken pieces and leave to marinate for 2 hours. Heat 90ml/6 tbsp of oil and fry the onions until golden brown. Remove them from the pan. Add the remaining oil and fry the bay leaves and cumin seeds for 1 minute.
2. Add the chicken pieces and fry for 5 minutes. Gradually add the marinade and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the ground spices and salt then the tomatoes and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed and the oil appears on the surface.
3. Add the water, bring to the boil then cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the coriander. Meanwhile, make the rice. Heat  the ghee and fry the cumin seeds and bay leaves for 1 minute. Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the ground spices and salt then the raisins and nuts. Add the water and mix thoroughly. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stand for 5 minutes. Dissolve the saffron in the milk.
5. Arrange layers of chicken, onion and rice in a heavy-based pan until all the ingredients are used up. Sprinkle over the saffron milk, cover and cook for a further 2-3 minutes over a low heat. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Invert on to a serving dish and serve hot with purees, raita, dal and vegetable kofta curry.

Kerala Chilly Chicken

Here is the tasty chillie chicken recipe to try out for one of your special dinner days!!!!!!!

Ingredients

Chicken                                                    - 1 Kg ( Boneless and skinless, cut into small cubes)

Green Capsicum                                     -  1 (diced into small cubes) 

Spring Onions                                         - 1/2 cup (chopped)

Onion                                                       - 2 ( medium size, chopped)

Green Chillies                                         - 2 (large , chopped )

Ginger                                                      - 1 Tbsp (cut into small pieces) 

Garlic                                                       - 1 Tbsp (cut into small pieces) 

Red Chilly Powder                                 - 1 tsp

Black pepper Powder                            - 1 tsp

Tomato Sauce                                         - 3 Tbsp

Hot and Sweet Sauce Chillie sauce      - 2 Tbsp

Soya Sauce                                              - 1 Tbsp

Salt                                                           - 1 1/2 tsp ( alter as per your taste)

Oil                                                             - For Frying 

For Marinating

Eggs                                    - 2

Cornflour                           - 3 Tbsp

Red Chilly Powder           - 1 tbsp

Soya Sauce                        - 1 Tbsp

Tomato sauce                   - 2 Tbsp

Maida                                 - 2 Tbsp

Ginger Paste                     - 1/2 tsp

Garlic Paste                      - 1/2 tsp

Salt                                     - 1 tsp 

Lemon juice                          -1 tsp
Chop curry leaves                   - 1 pinch

Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade to a smooth paste, without adding water.Make sure there are no lumps. 
2. Add the chicken pieces to this and mix well so that the marinade gets coated to the pieces. Now keep this for 1 -2 hours, in the refrigerator.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Once it is hot, put the chicken pieces and deep fry them until the color turns brown. Drain them in a paper towel and keep aside. 
4. Heat a Wok (thick bottom pan) and add 2 Tbsps of oil. Once it is hot, add ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute them for a minute. 
5. Now add the sliced onions and salt. Saute this till the onions turn brown and soft. 
6. Now add the capsicum and saute for another few minutes. 
7. Add the spring onions once the capsicums are soft and reduce the heat. 
8. Now add the red chilly powder, tomato sauce, hot and sweet red chillie sauce, soya sauce and pepper powder. Stir this for a minute.
9. Finally add the fried chicken pieces and mix well so that the gravy is coated on the  pieces. Stir for another few minutes before removing from the heat.

The Chillie chicken is ready to go the table...It makes a great combination Kerala Paratta /  Rice

Semiya Pulihora

Ingredients: 2 cups vermicelli
juice of 1 large lemon, adjust
3-4 tbsps roasted peanuts
salt to taste
Tempering/Poppu/Tadka:
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp urad dal/minappa pappu/split gram dal
1 tbsp channa dal/senaga pappu/bengal gram
2 dry chillis, tear and de-seed
1/4 tsp hing
1/2 tsp grated ginger
2 green chillis, slit
1/4 tsp haldi/turmeric pwd/pasupu
8-10 curry leaves

1 Bring 5 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the vermicelli and cook for just under 4 mts. Turn off heat and strain. Pour 2 cups of cold water and strain the water completely. Add 2 tsps of oil and combine.
2 While the vermicelli is cooking in the hot water, prepare the seasoning. Heat oil in a vessel, add the mustard seeds and as they begin to sizzle, add the dals and allow them to turn slightly red, add curry leaves, green chillis, grated ginger, red chillis and stir fry for 30 secs. Add asafoetida and turmeric pwd, roasted peanuts and combine. Turn off heat.
3 Add salt to taste and lemon juice to the seasoning and combine it well and pour over the vermicelli and mix well.
4 Taste and if you feel that it needs more tang, add more lemon juice accordingly.

Idlis with Pappula Podi

Ingredients:
6 left over idlis, crumbled
1 onion, finely chopped
big pinch turmeric pwd
1/2 tsp coriander pwd
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp oil
Grind to a coarse pwd:
1/2 tbsp grated coconut
1 tbsp roasted gram dal/putnala pappu/dalia
2 dry red chillis, tear and de-seed
For tempering/poppu/tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal/minappa pappu
pinch of asafoetida/hing/inguva
few curry leaves

1 Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add urad dal and let it turn red. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric pwd.
2 Add chopped onions and saute till they turn transparent. Add coriander pwd and combine. Add the ground roasted dal pwd and combine. Add the crumbled idlis and combine. Cook for a mt. Adjust salt, if required.

Dondakaya Pappula Podi (Ivy gourd With Spiced Chickpea Powder)

Ingredients:

250 gms /1/4 kg Dondakayalu/Tendli/Ivy Gourd/Gherkins
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
10-12 curry leaves
1 large onion, finely sliced
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
pinch of coriander pwd
salt to taste
1 1/2 – 2 tbsps oil
Grind to a fine powder (Pappula Podi)
1 tbsp dry coconut, grated
1-2 garlic cloves (optional)
2 dry red chilies, dry roast for a mt
pinch of cumin seeds, dry roast for a mt
1 1/2 tbsps roasted chickpeas/dalia/putnala pappu
pinch of salt

1 Wash dondakayalu and nip the tip and tail ends. Slice them into thin pieces and keep aside.
2 Heat a heavy bottomed cooking vessel, add oil, once hot, reduce to medium flame. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves and fry for a few seconds till the aroma emanates the kitchen.
3 Add the dondakaya pieces and saute on medium heat for 3 mts. Add the sliced onions, reduce to low flame, place lid, let it cook, approx 15 minutes. Keep checking in between, sauteing them so that they don’t burn. The sauteed tindora will lose moisture and begin to have a wrinkled appearance. Remove lid at this stage and saute on low for 7-8 mts.
4 Add salt and turmeric pwd and mix well. Saute on medium heat for 5-6 minutes, keep sauteing so that it doesn’t burn. Add red chilli pwd and coriander pwd and mix. Cook on low-medium flame for another 12-15 mts, without lid. Add pappula podi and mix well. Turn off heat.
5 Serve hot with steamed rice.