Appam

Ingredients

Raw rice : 2 cups
Semolina(rava) : 2 tablespoon
Coconut : 3/4 cup
Instant Dry Yeast : 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar : 1 1/2 tablespoon
Salt : very little
Water/Coconut water : as needed

Method

Soak rice in water for 3 hrs.
Take 2 cups of water in a saucepan and add 2 tablespoon of rava.Bring it to boil stirring continuously.Reduce the flame  to low and continue stirring.When the mixture changes to a thick paste,remove it from heat and allow it to cool.Now rava kurukku is ready.
Drain water from rice and grind it along with coconut and water(coconut water can also be used for better results) to a smooth batter.
Transfer the contents to a vessel.Add yeast,sugar and rava kurukku and mix well with your hands.Keep it for fermentation for atleast 3 hours.
On fermentation add salt to this and little warm milk if the batter is very thick.
Heat a non-stick appachatti.Pour a ladder of batter into the pan and rotate it till you get the edges thin.Close the pan and cook till done.


Tip
Instant active dry yeast is more finely granulated than active dry  yeast and so it  does not need to be dissolved in water first and it can be added directly.

Pearl onion Chutney

 Ingredients

Pearl onions chopped - 15 nos
Oil  -1 tbsp
Dry red chilly  - 2 nos
Ginger - a small piece
Tamarind -a small  ball(size of a gooseberry)
Curry Leaf - as needed
Salt - as needed

Method
Heat oil in a pan and saute onions till translucent.Add all the other ingredients to it and mix well.
Grind the mixture in a mixie to a smooth paste.
Now chutney is ready.

Chemmen/Prawns Fry

Ingredients

Prawns - large peeled &deveined 6 nos
Chilly powder - 1 1/ 2 teaspoon(adjust according to your tolerance level)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Lemon  juice - 1 1/2 tsp
wooden skewers soaked in water for 4 hours - 6 nos
Salt - as needed
Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup

Method


Make a marinade with chilly powder,turmeric powder,Ginger-garlic paste,lemon juice and salt.Insert soaked wooden skewers into each  prawn.Apply the marinade on prawns and roll in bread crumbs.Keep it in refrigerator for sometime.Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the prawns,flipping each side.


Tip


To devein a prawn :Use a small sharp knife to make a slit horizontally along the middle of the upperside of the prawns  to expose the dark vein.Pull out the vein from the prawn.

Cup Cakes

Ingredients

Butter - 125 gms
Powdered Sugar - 1 cup
Maida - 1 1/2 cups
Baking powder - 2 1/2 teaspoon
Eggs - 3 nos
Milk - 1/4 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Cup cake moulds lined with baking sheet
Method

Preheat oven to 180 degree celcius.Sieve maida ,baking powder and keep it aside.Mix the  butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and beat gently to make it as a cream.Add sieved maida,eggs,milk and vanilla essence to the cream and beat gently till  the ingredients get mixed.Continue beating in high speed for another  2-3 minutes more till the batter becomes pale and fluffy.Pour the batter equally into the cupcake moulds and bake it for 20-25 minutes or till the cupcakes become golden brown .

Tip:A tooth pick inserted into the batter in the cup comes out clean when the cupcakes are ready

Spring Rolls

Ingredients

Chicken pieces boneless : 1/2 cup

Ingredients for cooking chicken

Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : as needed

Other Ingredients

Spring roll sheet : 2 to 4 nos
Carrot finely chopped : 1/4 cup
Onion finely chopped : 1/4 cup
Cabbage finely chopped : 1/4 cup
Chicken/Meat Masala : 1 tsp
Soya Sauce : 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder : 1/4 tsp
Egg : 1 no
Salt : as needed
Bread Crumbs : as needed



Method

Mix chicken with 1/4 tsp pepper powder,1/2 tsp turmeric powder and salt znd keep it for sometime for marination.Cook the marinated chicken in a  pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles.Mince the cooked chicken ,when it is cooled.Heat oil in a pan,add onion and all the vegetables.Saute well.Add chicken masala,pepper powder,salt and saute again and then add minced chicken.Mix well and switch off the flame. Place a large scoopful of cooked mixture on the bottom corner of the sheet.Roll the corner over the filling.Continue rolling until you hit the next two corners.Fold the 2 corners in forming an envelope shape.Brush with egg white along the sides and top corner.Continue rolling towards the top corner.Roll tightly so that there is no exposed end.Dip in beaten egg and then roll it in bread crumbs.Fry it in oil.

Pachadi(Pavakka)

Ingredients

Pavakka(Bitter Gourd) : 1 no( cut into thin slices)
Chilly powder : 1 teaspoon
Turmeric : 1 teaspoon
Salt : as needed
Yoghurt : 1 cup

For  Grinding

grated coconut : 1/2 cup
cumin seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
 small onion(cheriyaulli) sliced : 1/2 teaspoon
 water : 1/4 cup

For seasoning

Coconut Oil : 1 teaspoon
 Mustard : 1 teaspoon
dry red chilli : 1 no
Curry leaf : 2-3 sprigs
Small Onion(Cheriyaulli) or Onion : as needed

Method
Mix  the bittergourd with red chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt.keep it for 20 minutes for marinationTake oil in a pan and deep fry it.
Mix together Yoghurt and ground coconut mixture.keep aside.Add the fried bittergourd to the  yoghurt mixture .Take another pan pour coconut oil.Splutter mustard seeds,add redchilli,curry leaf, small onions and fry it.Add this  to the prepared mixture.Pavakka pachadi is ready.

Tip

To remove the bitterness of bittergourd ,rub the slices with lots of  salt and curd.Keep aside for 30 minutes and squeeze out the juices.

Soft Idlis

Ingredients

Idli  Rice : 2 cups
Urad Dal (Uzhunnu) : 3/4 cup
Cooked rice : 3/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds(Uluva) : 1/4 teaspoon


Method
Soak Idli Rice  in water for 6 hours.Soak urad dal and methi seeds together in water for 3 1/2 hours.Drain the water from urad dal and grind it into a smooth paste by adding little water.Keep aside.Drain water from rice and grind it along with cooked rice by adding water.Now mix the ground items.The batter should not be too thick or too watery.Allow it to ferment overnight.On next day add little salt .Apply little oil on the steaming pan.Pour the batter on the steaming pan and steam  cook for 10 minutes.

Tips

1)if you don't have Idli rice,substitute it with the white rice ,which is  used for normal cooking,provided the rice is not a  sticky rice.
2)add the drained water of urad dal while grinding
3)During winter time,set the oven on to minimum for about 5 minutes,and then turn it off.Keep the batter in  oven to aid the fermentation.
4)You could also keep the oven light on,while keeping  the batter inside the oven .

NanKhatai

Ingredients

Maida : 1 cup
Powdered Sugar : 1/2 cup
Baking powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Cardamom powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Ghee : 6-7 tablespoon

Method

Sieve maida and baking powder for  2-3 times.Add sugar,cardamom powder.Mix well by adding ghee little by little so as to make  a smooth dough.Divide dough into 16 portions and make small balls,flatten a little.Preheat oven to 170 degree celsius. Grease a cookie sheet placeand place  the balls on the sheet leaving  enough space between them.Bake for 15 minutes.Allow it to  cool and store it in airtight containers.

Aloo palak

Ingredients

Potato(cut into small cubes) : 2 nos
Onion  chopped : 1 no
Palak  : 1 bunch(chopped)
Green Chilly : 2 nos
Tomato : 2 nos
Garlic : 4 nos
Cumin powder  : 1/4 teaspoon
Chilly Powder : 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric : 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder : 1/4 teaspoon
Oil : 2 tablespoon
Curry Leaf (chopped) : 1 teaspoon
Salt : as needed
Coriander leaves : 1/4 cup


Method

Heat oil in a pressure cooker.Add garlic,cumin,curryleaf,onion and greenchilly.Saute till the onions are translucent.Add Tomato.When the tomatoes are cooked,add chilly powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder ,salt,palak,potato,coriander leaves and little water.Mix well ,seal the pressure cooker and cook until whistle blows once,then turn heat off.Allow the cooker to cool for 2 minutes and open it .Aloo palak is ready.

Aviyal

Ingredients

Brinjal  : 1 no
Yam : 1 cup
Cucumber : 1/2 cup
Drumstick : 2 nos
Beans : 3 nos
Ash Gourd(Kumbalanga) : 1/2 cup
Snake gaurd(Padavalanga) : 1/2 cup
Raw Banana(Kaya) : 2 nos
Carrot : 1 no
Potato: 1/2 cup
Onion : 1 no
Greenchilly : 2 nos
Coconut Oil  : 3 teaspoon
Salt : as needed
Turmeric : 1 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Grated coconut : 1 cup
Cumin Seeds : 1 teaspoon
Curry leaf  : 1 sprig
Curd : 2 tablespoon

Method

Cut all the vegetables lengthwise of 1/2 inch thickness.Cook all the vegetables in a covered pan  with less water,turmeric,red chilly powder and salt.Stir in between.Take coconut ,green chilly and cumin seeds in a mixie and grind it into a coarse paste.Once the vegetables are cooked,add the ground mixture and cook for few minutes.Switch it off .Add coconut oil,curry leaf,curd and mix well.

Tip:Instead of cucumber,zucchini can also be used.

Easy Chinese Chilli Chicken

Ingredients


Boneless Chicken(cut into small pieces) : 500 grams
Ginger : 2 inch  piece
Garlic : 6 cloves 
Green Chilly : 2
Pepper Powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Vinegar : 2 tablespoon
Onion :1 big diced
Capsicum : 1 cup diced
Tomato Sauce : 4 tablespoon
Chilli Sauce: 4 tablespoon
Soya Sauce : 2 tablespoon 
Sugar: 1/2 teaspoon
Water: 1 cup
Cornflour: 1 tablespoon
Refined Oil: as needed


Method


Grind Ginger,Garlic and Greenchilly to a paste.Mix chicken, with ground paste,Pepper,Vinegar,Salt and keep it for half an hour.Heat Oil in a pan and add Onion,Capsicum.Saute till onions are  translucent.Add Salt,Tomato sauce,Chilli sauce,Soyasauce,Sugar, water and chicken.Cook till chicken is done.Add the cornflour dissolved in water little by little,stirring well,till the sauce thickens.switch off.garnish with capsicum.Serve with Fried rice.

Egg Kabab

INGREDIENTS

Egg(hard-boiled) : 2 nos
Onion finely chopped: 1 no
Green Chilly finely chopped : 2 noos
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves chopped  : 1 tablespoon
Potato boiled & smashed : 3 nos
Bread Crumbs : as required
Turmeric powder : 1/4 teaspoon
Mint Leaves chopped  : 1 tablespoon
Salt : as needed
Egg : 1 beaten

METHOD

Cut the eggs into 2 pieces lengthwise.Heat Oil in a pan.Saute Onion,Greenchilly,Ginger-Garlic paste well till the onions become translucent.Add Turmeric,Garam Masala and fry for few minutes.Now add Salt,CurryLeaf,Mint Leaves,Coriander leaves & smashed potato.Mix well.Cover the egg with the prepared mixture.Dip in beaten  egg and roll in bread crumbs.Deep fry in oil till it turns brown.

Mutton Roast

INGREDIENTS




Mutton ( Lamb) cleaned and cut into small pieces : 1/2 kg

For Marination
Coriander powder : 1 1/2 tablespoon
Kashmiri Chilly Powder : 1/2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder  : 1/4 teaspoon
Salt : as needed

Other Ingredients

Onion : 2 big nos
Coriander leaves: 2 tablespoon
Water : 1/2 cup
Oil : 2 tablespoon
Ginger finely chopped : 1 tablespoon
Garlic finely chopped : 2 tablespoon
Curry Leaf : as needed
Coconut  pieces 1/4 cup
Pepper : 3/4 teaspoon
Garam Masala : 3/4  teaspoon
Meat Masala : 3/4 teaspoon




METHOD

Mix cleaned mutton with coriander powder,chilly powder,turmeric powder  and salt and keep it for 1/2 an hour for marination.Take mutton in a pressure cooker,add water and cook it for 3-4 whistles.Heat Oil in a pan ,add Onion,Ginger,Garlic,Curry leaf and Coconut.Saute until Onions turn brown.Add Coriander leaves,Pepper powder,Garam Masala & meat masala and fry it  for a minute under low flame.Add to this the  cooked Mutton and salt.Combine everything well.Cook on low flame till it is roasted stirring well  in between.

Tip:If you are using Lamb instead of mutton ,take the lamb meat in a vessel and add water.Add some radish to this and keep it for half an hour.Then remove the radish  and allow the meat to drain the water completely.This will help to reduce the unpleasant smell of lamb meat.

Erissery

INGREDIENTS

Vanpayar/red cowpeas : 1/2 cup soaked overnight
Chena/Yam (cut it into pieces) : 1 cup
Mathanga/Pumpkin  (cut it into pieces) : 1 cup
Grated coconut : 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Green Chilly : 3 nos
Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
Shallots : 3 nos
Mustard : 1/2 tsp
Dry Red Chilly : 2 nos
Curry  Leaf : as needed
Oil : as needed

METHOD
 Pressure cook Vanpayar in 1 1/2 cup water with little salt for  2 whistles.Cool it.Add the Chena and Mathanga to it.Cook well and cool.Grind Coconut,GreenChilly,Cumin,Turmeric into a coarse paste.Now open the cooker and slightly mash the yam and pumpkin pieces with the back of a spoon..Add the ground paste and keep it on flame.Boil for sometime.Cook till it thickens slightly.Heat oil in a pan ,splutter  mustard seeds.Add dry red chilly,shallots,curry leaf and little coconut.Fry till it turns brown.Add this to the prepared curry and mix well.

Inji Curry

INGREDIENTS

Ginger : 100 grams
Tamarind : 1 small ball (size of a gooseberry)
Chilly Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric : 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek(Uluva)Powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : as needed
Mustard : 1/2 tsp
Curryleaf :2-3 sprigs
Oil : as needed
Jaggery : as needed

METHOD

Clean and cut the ginger into round slices.Deep Fry  in oil till it is crispy.Let it cool down.Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water for sometime.Squeeze it and take the extract.Grind the fried ginger into a coarse powder .Heat Oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds.Add curryLeaf and the coarsely ground ginger and saute. Add coriander,chilly powder,Turmeric,Uluva and saute well.Add the Tamarind Extract and salt.When it boils, add the ground ginger to it.Add little gratted jaggery .Cook until it becomes thick.

Pazham pori/Eathapazham Boli

INGREDIENTS

Ethapazham : 2 nos

Rice Powder : 1/2 cup

Maida : 1cup

Sugar : 3 teaspoon

Salt : a pinch

Turmeric : 1/4 teaspoon

Oil : as required 

METHOD

Peel off  the skin of banana and cut into two pieces.Slice each  each part into 3-4 pieces,lengthwise.

Mix rice Powder,maida,sugar ,turmeric& salt.Add small quantity of  water to make the mixture into a  liquid paste.Don't make it too watery.The batter should be thick enough to coat the Ethapazham.Dip Ethapazham in the batter and deep fry in oil till it turns golden brown.

Chemmeenum Manga Curry

INGREDIENTS

Prawns(small sized cleaned) : 1 cup

Raw mango : 1 

or

Dried mango : 1/4 cup

Chilly Powder : 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 teaspoon

Green Chilly slitted  : 4 nos

Coconut grated  : 1/2 cup

Small onion sliced : 3 nos

SEASONING

Mustard : 1/2 teaspoon

Dry Red Chilly : 2 nos

Small Onion  sliced : 3 nos

Curry Leaf  : As needed

Method

Take prawns in an earthenware pot and add mango/dried mango,green chilly,turmeric powder,chilly powder,Curry Leaf and Salt and boil for 7-8 minutes.Grind well the grated coconut with small onion and little Turmeric powder in a mixer.Add this to the above mix,Cook for some more time and remove it  from fire.

For seasoning take a pan ,add oil and splutter mustard seeds.Add  small onion,dry red chilly and curry leaf .Saute till the onions turn brown.Add this to the prepared curry.Now chemmeen manga curry is ready .

Tips

1)Instead of Earthenware pot  or stone pot  ordinary cooking vessel can also be used.

2)Earthenware pot/stone pot  adds more taste and very healthy also.

Kappa Biryani

Ingredients

Kappa(Tapioca) cleaned & cut into small pieces : 1/2 kg

Coconut grated : 1 cup

Beef  cleaned & cut into small pieces : 1/2 kg

Onion : 1 no

Ginger crushed : 1 tablespoon

Garlic crushed : 1 tablespoon

 Meat Masala : 2 1/2 teaspoon

Garam masala : 1/2 teaspoon

Salt : as needed

Curry Leaf : as needed

Method

Take  tapioca in a large pan and add  enough water to cover  the tapioca.Add enough salt to this and boil till the tapioca is cooked..Drain the water and keep it aside.

Mix  Beef with Meat Masala,Onion,Ginger,Garlic,Salt and cook.in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles or till the beef is cooked.Mix cooked tapioca  and beef together.

Dry fry grated  coconut till it turns reddish brown colour.Cool and grind it to a fine paste.Add the ground mixture to the tapioca & beef mix.Add Garam masala,little coconut oil and curry leaf and stir well.

Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken cleaned and cut into large pieces : 800 grams
Oil as required
Chat masala : for sprinkling

For marination

Chilly Powder : 1 teaspoon
Lemon Juice : 3 teaspoon
Hung Curd : 1 cup (when water is removed  from curd it is called hung curd. For making hung curd take  curd in a muslin cloth and hang it for 4-5 hours, till the water is completely removed)
Ginger-Garlic paste : 2 teaspoon
Greenchilli paste : 1 teaspoon
Garam masala Powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Tandoori Masala : 2 teaspoon
Salt as required
Red Color as required


Method


Add all the ingredients for marination,mix it thoroughly with chicken.Cover the marinated chicken  with a plastic wrap and keep it  in the refrigerator for one  hour .Preheat Oven to 180 degree celsius.Keep the chicken on the tray to be baked.Bake the chicken for 10 minutes.Brush with Oil /butter  and grill for 5 minutes,turn it apply oil/butter  and grill again for 5 minutes.Sprinkle with Chat masala.your tandoori chicken is ready now.Serve it with Onion  and Lemon Slices.


Tip:For better taste use  north indian tandoori masala brands like Everest,MDH etc 

Paalpayasam using pressure cooker

Ingredients

Basmati Rice : 1/4 cup
Milk : 1 litre
Sugar : 1 cup
Cardamom : 2 nos( powdered)
Water : 1 cup
Cashew & Raisins as required
Ghee : 1 tablespoon

Method

Take a pressure cooker ,add water,milk & sugar.Stir well to make sure that the sugar is fully  dissolved.Add the cleaned  rice to it.Close the cooker and cook  for 20 mins under low flame.Allow the cooker  to cool and then open it. Keep the cooker on flame again  and stir it continuously until it reaches your desired consistency.Add cardamom powder.Heat ghee and fry the cashew and raisins in the ghee.Add this to the prepared payasam.

Tip :If you cook in cooker it will always give a pink colour to the payasam.

Jileby

Ingredients

Urad Dal(Uzhunnu) : 250 grams

Sugar : 1 kg 

Water : 2 glass

Milk : 1 teaspoon

Red color :1/4 teaspoon

Lemon Yellow Color : 1/4 teaspoon(for shining)

Rose White Essence :1/2 teaspoon

Ghee/Refined Oil : 700 grams

Method

Soak Urad dal in Water for 1/2 an hour n allow the water to drain out.Grind it without adding water.

Take the  sugar in a pan and add water to it.Add  1 teaspoon milk,meanwhile  the impurities from sugar will come on top.Remove it using a spatula.Before the sugar syrup turns to one thread consistency remove from fire.Add both the colours and essence  to the sugar syrup.Heat Ghee/Oil(or use half of ghee & Oil) in a pan.Take a cloth bit and put a hole at the center  and transfer the ground black gram  in to it.Squeeze the paste out through the hole in to the pan . While squeezing , move your hand in such a way so that the paste is poured in to the pan in the shape of a jileby . Fry it.Transfer it to the sugar syrup.Soak for 15 minutes and transfer to a plate.

Tip: Instead of cloth bit,ziplock cover with a hole at the corner can also be used.

Mambazha Pulissery

Ingredients

Ripe mango : 1 peeled & cut into slices

Greenchilly : 2  slitted

Ginger : 1 small piece(chopped)

Turmeric : 1/4 teaspoon

Chilly powder : 1/4 teaspoon

Salt : as needed

Water : little

Grinding

Grated coconut  1/2 cup 

GreenChilly : 2 nos

Garlic(small) : 1 no 

Cumin : 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric : 1/4 teaspoon

Curryleaf : as required

Other ingredients

Mustard: 1/2 teaspoon

Dry Red Chilly : 2 nos

Uluva/Fenugreek : 1/4 teaspoon

Curry Leaf : as needed

Curd : 1 cup

Sugar : 1 teaspoon

Method

Cook Mango with Greenchilly,Ginger,Turmeric,Chilly powder,Water & Salt.Grind the ingredients for grinding into a smooth paste.Once the mango is cooked add the ground mixture to it.Cook for some time .Remove from fire add curd to it.Keep on flame stirring continuously ,do not boil.Switch off flame.Add sugar and mix well.Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds,when it splutters add dry red chilly,fenugreek & curry leaf.Add this to the above mixture.Delicious mambazha pulisseri is ready.....

Tip :If ripe mango is not readily available ,use canned mangoes in sugar syrup available in supermarkets.

Fish Fry

Ingredients

Karimeen/Neymeen- 5 pieces 
Ginger- Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying (preferably coconut oil)
Curry Leaves -2or 3 sprigs


Method


Mix ginger-garlic paste,red chilly powder with  salt by  adding  little water so as to make a smooth paste of it.
Apply the paste to the fish pieces and keep it in refrigerator for half an hour.
Heat oil in a frying pan.Put curry leaves into the oil .Put the marinated fish pieces one by one into the hot oil and fry it under low flame.Keep the fried fish pieces on kitchen tissue paper to drain off the excess oil.