White Coconut Chutney

Ofcourse it is a well known recipe...

Ingredients:

• Salte to taste

for grinding

• Grated coconut-1 cup
• Green chilly-4
• Cumin seeds-1 tspoon
• Garlic-1 inch piece

for tempering

• Oil-1  tspoon
• Chopped onion-1
• Mustard-1 tspoon
• Dry red chilly-2
• Curry leaves

Preparation:

1. Grind coconut with green chillies,cumin seeds and garlic in a mixer.Grind well and make a smooth paste.
2. Pour it in a vessel and add salt to your desired taste.
3. Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and add mustard.Once mustard crackles add chopped onion,red chillies,mustard and curry leaves.Pour it into the coconut mixture.
4. Heat the coconut mixture for 1 minute(Dont overheat,stop heating when small bubbles bursts)

Have it with your dosa/idly.

Red Coconut Chutney

Ofcourse a well known recipe

Ingredients:

• Salt to taste

for grinding:

• Grated coconut-1 cup
• Chilly powder-1 tspoon
• Cumin seeds-1 tspoon
• Garlic-1 inch piece

for tempering:

• Chopped onion-1
• Mustard-1 tspoon
• Dry red chilly-2
• Curry leaves
• Oil-1 tspoon

Preparation:

1. Grind coconut with chilly powder,cumin seeds and garlic in a mixer.Grind well and make a smooth paste.
2. Pour it in a vessel and add salt to your desired taste.
3. Meanwhile heat oil in a pan .Add chopped onion.When it turns color add redchillies and mustard.Once mustard crackles add curry leaves.Pour it into the coconut mixture.
4. Heat the coconut mixture for 1 minute(Dont overheat,stop heating when small bubbles bursts)

Have it with your dosa/idly.

Dates MilkShake

Dates MilkShake

Ingredients:

• Dates-6(de-seeded and chopped)
• Milk-1/4 cup
• Yogurt-1/4 cup
• Vanilla icecream-1 scoop(optional)
• Icecubes

Preparation:

1. In a blender add dates and milk.Blend it well and make it smooth.
2. Add the yogurt and icecream.Continue blending along with icecubes.

Chill it.Pour into a glass top with icecream  and have it:)

Mango MilkShake

Ingredients:

• Chopped mango-1 cup
• Milk-2 cup
• Vanilla icecream(optional,for topping)-1 scoop
• Sugar-1 tbl spoon(depends on sweetness of mango)
• Icecubes

Preparation:

1. Add peeled mango, sugar and milk into a blender/mixer. Grind well.
2. To this add ice cubes and grind it again.
3. Your mango milk shake is ready.

Pour into glass, top with icecream and have it immediately:)

Cheera Thoran/Spinach Thoran

Ingredients:

Cheera/Spinach-5 cup(finely chopped)
Oil to fry
Salt to taste

for grinding

Grated coconut-1/2 cup

Chilly powder-1 tspoon

Turmeric powder-1/2 tspoon
Cumin seeds-1 tspoon

for tempering

Mustard-1 pinch
Dry red chillies-2
Curry leaves

Preparation:

1.Clean the spinach leaves and chop it well.

2.Grind coconut,chilly powder,turmeric powder,cumin seeds in a mixer and make a rough mixture.

(Do not add water while grinding)

3.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard.Once it crackles add red chillies  and curry leaves.Add chopped spinach into it.

4.Stir it for 1-2 minute(this helps in easy boiling of spinach)

5.Add little amount of water into the spinach mixture. Add salt. Mix well. Allow it to boil in a medium flame by closing the lid.

6.Once spinach is done(cooked well and no water should be present in it) add the grinded coconut mixture into it and mix well.

7.Heat it for another 1 minute.

Serve it with ur rice which is so nutritious.

Ulli Theeyal/Varutharacha Ulli Curry

This is one of the dish i learned when my marriage was fixed and guess for whom? Ofcourse for my betterhalf.

UPDATED: I added this recipe here during the initial days of my blog and so you can't find step by pictures and elaborated descriptions. I will try to update all very soon.

Ingredients:

Small onion/kunjulli-20+4(skin peeled)

Grated coconut-3/4 cup

Dry red chilly-5

Coriander powder-1&1/2 tspoon

Tamarind-1 big gooseberry size

Salt to taste
Oil-as needed

To Temper:

Oil-1 tspoon

Mustard-1/2 tspoon

Curry leaves-1 sprig

Preparation:

1. Soak tamarind in hot water and extract the juice. Keep it aside.

2. Heat water in a cooking vessel and add onions to it with needed salt.

3. Once it starts to boil add some tamarind juice and allow onions to cook well.

4. Meanwhile heat 1 tblspoon of oil in a pan.Add grated coconut into it and stir continously in medium flame.

5. After 3 to 5 minute add red chilly and small onion(around 4 in number) to the grated coconut

(if dry red chilly is not available add chilly powder at the end).

6. Saute well so that the color of coconut turns brownish. Take cure not to burn it. 

7. Turn off the stove and add coriander powder to it and saute well. Remove the vessel from the stove and allow to cool.

8. Grind the cooled mixture in a mixer and make a fine paste by adding little water.

9. Once the onions are cooked well add the ground paste into it.

10. Add tamarind juice and salt to your taste and mix well (add water if u want the content to be more watery).

11. Mean while heat oil in  a pan and Temper (kaduvarukkal) with the ingredients(oil,mustard, dry chilly,curry leaves).

12. Pour the kaduvarukkal mixture into the curry and allow it to boil. Once it starts boiling switch off the flame. Your ulli theeyal is now ready.

Have it with hot rice/dosa/idly/chappathi of your choice

Vazhakka Mezhukkupuratti/Banana Fry

Its an easy to cook side dish.

Ingredients:

Banana/Vazhakka(raw)-2

Chilly powder-1 tspoon

Turmeric powder-1/2 tspoon

Black pepper powder-1/2 tspoon

Small onion-3

Black gram dal/Uzhunnu-1 pinch

Dry red chillies-2 or 3(halved)

Oil-1 tbl spoon

Mustard-2 pinch

Curry leaves-1 pinch

Salt to taste

Preparation:

1.:Peel banana and cut horizontally into 2-3 pieces.Make thin slices on each piece.

2.Grind onion,chilly powder,tumeric powder and black pepper powder in a mixer.Make a fine paste.

3.Mix banana slices into this paste,add salt and boil in very little amount of water(It will be cooked in 3-4 mints.Boil till all water gets dried so that the ingredients wiil be stick to banana slices)

4.Heat oil in a pan and add black gram dal.Once it turns light brown add mustard.When mustard crackles add halved red chilly,curry leaves and cooked banana.

5.Stir in cooked banana until all items mix well.

6.Keep stirring until it is dried

Serve it hot with rice or roti of your choice.

Mutton Masala

Its my weekend special

Ingredients:

Mutton-1/2 kg

Big onion-1

Green chilly-4

Garam masala-cloves/grambu,bay leaves/karuvaela,cinnamon/patta,cardamon/elakka-1 pinch each

Ginger garlic paste-2 tspoon

Chilly powder-1 tspoon

Turmeric powder-2 tspoon

Coriander powder-2 tspoon

Mutton masala powder-2 tspoon

Cumin seed-1 tspoon

Pepper powder-1 tspoon

Salt to taste

Oil or Ghee-1 tbl spoon

Preparation:

1.Wash mutton well.

2.In a pressure cooker mix mutton with ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder and salt in water.(Water and mutton should be in same level)

3.Boil the mutton and ingredients(5-6 whistles)

4.Mean while heat oil or ghee in a pan.

5.Add cumin seeds and garam masala(see above) one by one.

6.Add onion into it and saute well in medium heat.Continue stirring till golden brown

7.Add turmeric powder,ginger-garlic paste,green chilly and salt into it.Stir well and close the lid for 3 mints.

8After that add chilly powder,coriander powder and mutton masala.Stir well and close it for 4 mints.

              Now mutton gravy is ready

9.Add boiled mutton into the gravy with the water in it.

10.Close it for another 15 mints in medium heat.

11.Add pepper powder into it and close it for another 5 mints

12.Finally add coriander leaves into it.

Serve it with parotta/chappathi/rice of your choice:)

Vellarikka theeyal/Cucumber theeyal

Another recipe from my mom. This is meant to have with rice. But i like to have with dosa/idly too….

Ingredients:

Cucumber	1(small)/ 2 cups(cube shape)
Green chilly	2(medium)
Tamarind	1 gooseberry size(soak in water and extract the juice)
Salt	to taste
Turmeric Powder	1/4 tspoon

for grinding:

Grated Coconut	1/2 cup
Small onion	2(skin peeled)
Chilly Powder	1/2 tspoon
Turmeric Powder	1/2 tspoon
Water	1/4 cup

for tempering:

Oil	2 tspoon
Mustard	1/2 tspoon
Dry red chilly	2
Onion	1(finely chopped)
Curry leaves	1 sprig

Preparation:

(1) Peel the skin of cucumber and chop into cubes.  Also chop green chillies. Add both to a vessel with salt and turmeric powder. Boil the pieces by adding water (add more water so that you can use the remaining to make gravy). Once it starts boiling pour little tamarind juice. Close the vessel with a lid.

(2) Mean while grind the ingredients shown under "for grinding" heading with water and make a smooth paste.

(3) Once the pieces are boiled switch off the stove and pour ground paste into it. Add more water if you want. Also add tamarind juice and salt to you taste. 

Heat a pan and temper with the ingredients shown under "for tempering" heading. Pour the curry to it and let it heat.

(5) Dont allow to boil. Switch off the stove when small bubbles starts coming. Your vellarikka theeyal is ready.

Have it with your rice/dosa/idly….

Dosa/Idly Podi

I love to have podi with dosa/idly, my little one too like it. It is easy to prepare. Once u prepared you can have it for more than 6 months.

Ingredients:

Black gram dal/Uzhunnu	1 cup
Red gram dal/thuvara parippu	1/2 cup
Dry red chilly	10 to 13
Garlic	10 cloves
Asafoetida powder	1 tspoon
Coriander powder	1&1/2 tspoon
Curry leaves	2 sprig
Oil	1 tbl spoon
Salt	to taste

Preparation:

(1) Take the necessary ingredients to fry in oil. The below picture includes black gram dal,red gram dal,dry red chilly,garlic and curry leaves.

(2) Heat oil in a pan. Add black gram  into it and stir for some seconds. To this add red gram dal, dry red chilly and stir for 5 to 7  minutes.

(3) Now add garlic and curry leaves into it. Stir the contents continuously until the color changes to dark brown and emanates it's unique flavor

(4) Now switch off the flame and add coriander powder. Stir well. Remove the pan from stove. Allow it to cool.

(5) Once it is cooled add salt into it and mix well. Now grind the mixture well in a mixer without adding water.

(6) After grinding add asafoetida powder and mix well. Your dosa/idly podi is ready. Store in an air tight container and enjoy.

Have it with ur dosa/idly when you are bored with usual chutneys:)

TIPS:

• Take care not to burn the ingredients while stirring.
• While grinding you can add more salt or chilly powder to your taste.

Ulli Vada/Onion Vada

How about tasting ulli vada in a rainy/chill evening??? Yeah it will be amazing :) .

Ingredients:

Big onion	2(big)
Besan/Kadalamavu	1 cup
Green chilly	3 (medium)
Ginger	2 inch piece
Chilly Powder	1 tspoon
Turmeric Powder	2 pinch
Asafoetida Powder	1/4 tspoon
Salt	to taste
Oil	to deep fry

Preparation:

(1) Chop onion into thin slices. Also chop green chilly and ginger. Take besan flour in a bowl. To this add chopped onion, ginger and green chilly along with salt, chilly powder turmeric and asafoetida powders.,

(2) Mix well using hand. The flour will be lightly moisturised due to onion. Now sprinkle water little by little say 2 to 3 tbl spoon and mix well. Make a thick batter with it.

(3) Make small balls out of it. Heat oil in a pan. Once it is hot, reduce the flame to medium-low and drop the balls one by one.

(4) Flip the balls in between. If you keep in high flame the outer part will turn brownish but inner part will remain raw. So keep in low to medium flame so that the vada will be evenly cooked. Fry till dark brown and crispy.

Enjoy with your hot tea/coffee…

Tips:

• Be careful while sprinkling water. Don't make it watery.
• Cook in low to medium flame.

Chicken Chettinad

My weekend special:)

Chicken Chettinad

Ingredients:

Chicken-1 kg

Big onion-1

Tomato-1

Garam masala-cloves/grambu,bay leaves/karuvaela,cinnamon/patta,cardamon/elakka

Green chilly-3

Ginger-garlic paste-2 tbl spoon

Chilly powder-2 tbl spoon

Turmeric powder-1 tbl spoon

Coriander powder-3 tbl spoon

Pepper powder-2 tbl spoon

Mustard

Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Preparation:

1.Finely chop tomato and onion.

2.Heat oil in a pan.Add mustard.Once it bursts Add cumin seeds and garam masala.

3.When nice aroma emanates from it add chopped onion and roast until golden brown.

4.Add green chillies,turmeric powder,ginger garlic paste,salt, tomato,chilly powder,coriander powder one by one.Heat it by closing the lid for 5-7 minutes.

(Stir it well.Now chettinad gravy is ready which ll be in a thick juicy form)

5.Add chicken pieces into the chettinad gravy.Again close the lid and boil it for 15 minutes in medium heat.

6.When chicken is done well add pepper powder and salt to ur desired taste.

Serve it:)

Vendakka Mezhukkupuratti/lady's finger fry

Ingredients:

Lady's finger-20

Mustard

Dry red chillies-3

Green chilly-3

Curry leaves

Oil to fry

Salt to taste

Preparation:

1.Cut lady's finger and green chillies into small round pieces.

2.Mix salt with lady's finger,green chillies and keep it for 10 mints.

2.Heat oil in a pan.

3.Add mustard into it.Once it bursts add red chilly and curry leaves.

4.Add chopped ladys finger and green chillies into the above content.

5.Stir all the contents till lady's finger turns bit crispy and dry.

Serve it:)

Semiya Payasam/Vermicelli kheer

Ingredients:

Vermicelli/Semiya-1 cup

Milk-1/2 litre
Coconut milk or water-1 cup

Sugar-1 cup

Ghee-2 tblspoon

Cardamom /Elakka-1 tspoon

Cashewnuts-12

Raisin/Unakka mundhiringa-2 tb spoon

Sago/Chawwari-3 tb spoon

Preperation:

1.Heat a pan.Add a tb spn of ghee and roast cashewnuts,raisin and sago(all seperately) till it turns golden brown and keep it aside.

2.In the same pan add 1 tbspoon of ghee and roast vermicelli for 3 to 4 mints till it turns light brown(if it is not roasted vermicelli) and keep it aside.
3.In a cooking vessel add cocunut milk or water,add roasted vermicelli into it and let it cook completely.
4.Once vermicelli is done in coconut milk or water  add milk and heat it for 5 minutes.Stir once in a while.
5.Add cardamom,toasted cashewnuts,raisin and sago into it.

Serve it:)

Cooking tips:
The payasam gets thickened when refrigerated.Add warm milk into it and stir it in such condition.

Gobi Pakkoda

An evening snack made with cauliflower:

Ingredients:

Cauliflower-1

Besan/kadalamavu-2 cups

Chilly powder-2 tspoons

Turmeric powder-1 tspoon

Asafoetida/kayam-1 pinch

Oil to fry

Salt to taste

Preparation:

1.Wash and cut cauliflower into pieces.
2.Mix besan/kadalamavu with water.
3.Add chiily powder,turmeric powder  asafoetida/kayam and salt with besan.Blend well and make a thick batter(like dosa batter)
4.Dip cauliflower pieces into the batter.
5.Heat oil in a pan
6.Drop the cauliflower pieces(3 or 4 together) in hot oil and fry it till they turn golden brown.

have it with ur tea:)

Vazhakka bajji

Have some hot vazhakka bajji with your cup of tea:)

Ingredients:

Banana(vazhakka)-2

Besan(kadalamavu)-2 cups

Chilly powder-2 tspoon

Turmeric powder-1 tspoon

Asafoetida(kayam)-1 pinch

Oil to fry

Salt to taste

Preparation:

1.Cut banana vertically into thin slices.

2.Mix besan/kadalamavu with water.

3.Add chiily powder,turmeric powder  asafoetida/kayam and salt with besan.Blend well and make a thick batter(like dosa batter)

4.Dip banana slices into the batter.

(Make sure the slices to be fully dipped)

5.Heat oil in a pan

6.Drop the slices one by one in hot oil and fry it.

have it with chutney and tea:)

Vendakka Moru Curry/Moru Curry with lady's finger

Moru Curry and Mambazha Puliserry follows almost the same recipe. This is another variation with lady's finger.

Ingredients:

Lady's Finger	10
Curd	2 cup(thick and sour)
Salt	to taste

For grinding:

Grated coconut	1/2 cup
Turmeric powder	1 tspoon
Garlic	2 cloves
Green chilly	4(medium)
Cumin seed	1/2 tspoon

To temper/Kaduvarukkal

Cumin seeds	1/2 tspoon
Dry red chilly	2
Mustard	1/2 tspoon
Curry leaves	1 sprig
Oil	1 tspoon

Preparation:

(1)Heat oil in a pan. Saute the chopped lady's finger for 2 minutes. Add it to a cooking vessel by adding salt and 1/2 cup of water. Close the vessel with a lid. Boil it till it it cooked well.

(2) Mean while grind all the ingredients shown under "for grinding" heading in a mixer by adding 1/4 cup of water. Make a smooth paste.

(3) Once vegetable is cooked well add ground paste into the boiled mixture.

(4) Now add curd and salt to your taste. Mix well.

(5) Temper with the ingredients shown under "to temper "heading.

 (6) Pour it over the curry. Heat it in a low flame (never allow curd to boil) for less than one minute.

Have it with your Rice….

Tips:

• Always use sour curd.
• Curd will lost its sourness if u over heat it.

Nadan Sambhar

Vegetables:

Amount and type of vegetables depends on how much and what you want. Amount and veggies i used are given below:

• Lady's finger/vendakka-7--->Cut into 2 inch pieces.
• Beans(amarakka)-10--->Cut into 2 inch pieces.
• Cucumber/vellarikka-1/2(small)--->Peeled,cut into cubes.
• Drum stick(muringakka)-1--->Cut into 3 inch piece.
• Carrot-2--->Cut into round shapes.
• Small onion-15--->Skin peeled.
• Tomato-1--->chopped.
• Green chilly-4--->Cut into small round shapes.

You can also use brinjal,yam,potato,snakeguard etc....

Ingredients:

• Toor dal(thuvara parippu)-1 cup
• Coriander powder-2 tspoon
• Chilly powder-1 tspoon
• Sambhar powder-2 tspoon
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tspoon
• Asafoetida powder-1/2 tspoon
• Tamarind- 1 gooseberry size--->Soak in water  for 15 minutes and extract the juice.
• Salt to taste
• Oil-1 tspoon

For tempering:

• Dry red chilly-3
• Mustard-1 tspoon
• Curry leaves-2 pinch

Preparation:

1. Take toor dal in a pressure cooker.Add 3 cup of water, 1/4 tspoon of turmeric powder and salt. Cook for 3 to 4 whistle.
2. Cut all the vegetables.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add onion and lady's finger. Saute it for 2 minute which helps it to cook easily.
4. Mix all the vegetables with the cooked toor dal and boil it. Add salt and 1/4 tspoon of turmeric powder. Once it starts boiling add tamarind water.
5. Allow the vegetables to cook completely. Add chilly powder, coriander powder, sambar powder. and asafoetida powder. Add salt and tamarind water to your desired taste. Switch off the flame.
6. Heat oil in a pan and season the ingredients shown under "for tempering" heading. Pour and mix it to sambar.

Have it with dosa,idly or rice.

Carrot Beans Thoran/Carrot Beans Poriyal

Vegetables:

Carrot-3

Beans-20

Ingredients:

Grated coconut-1/4cup

Chilly powder-1/2 spoon

turmeric powder-1/4 spoon

Small onion-1 chopped

Dried red chilly-2

Curry leaves-1 sprig

Mustard-1/2 tspoon

Salt to taste

Grinding method:

Grind grated coconut, chilly powder, turmeric powder and make into a rough mixture without adding water.

Preparation:

1. Cut carrot and beans into small pieces.

2. Boil the pieces in water with salt.

3. Once vegetables are cooked well add the ground mixture into it. Mix once. 

4. Mean while temper(kaduvaruklkal) with the normal ingredients(chopped onion,dry red chilly,mustard,curry leaves).

5. Add it to the thoran. Mix once and switch off the flame. 

Serve it:)

Kerala Aviyal

Our own aviyal...

Vegetables:

Carrot	3
Raw banana	2
Brinjal	1
Beans	15
Cucumber	1/2
Snake guard	1/2
Yam	1/4
Drum stick	1/4
Green chilly	4
Oil	1 tspoon

Wash and cut all the vegetables lengthwise that is around 2 inch. You can also add other vegetables.

Ingredients:

Turmeric powder	1/2
Chilly powder	1 tspoon
Salt	to taste
Tamarind	1 gooseberry size(soak in water and extract the juice)

For grinding:

Grated coconut	1/2 cup
Garlic	2 cloves
Cumin seeds	1/2 tspoon
Turmeric powder	1/2 tspoon
Green chilly	1

Preparation:

(1) Heat a pan and add all vegetables. To this add salt, turmeric powder and chilly powder with water(don't add too much of water). Mix well. Close the vessel with a lid. When it starts boiling,add tamarind water to the veggies. Boil it till veggies are cooked well.

(2) Mean while grind all the ingredients shown under  "for grinding" heading without adding water. Make a coarse mixture.

(3) When veggies are cooked well add the grinded mixture into it. Mix well. Make a test here. Add more tamarind water  and salt if you want. Switch off the flame and sprinkle 1 tspoon of oil over it. Mix well. Your aviyal is now ready.

Serve it with rice:)

Tips:

• You can use sour curd instead of tamarind water.
• While mixing the avial be careful not to break the pieces.