Vendakka Kichadi(Lady's finger kichadi)

I love anything with curd in it. But this one is a unique and tasty kichadi recipe. Lady's finger is perfectly stir fried before curd is added. It gives the dish a perfect taste which is quite unlike the usual kichadi recipes. It tastes best when served with matta rice and sambar and this is an accepted combo meal in my home.

Ingredients

Vendakka (okra)/Lady's Finger- 1 cup
Coconut -1/4 cup
Green Chilli -1
Curry Leaves few
Jeera- 1/2 tsp
Yogurt/Curd- 1 cup
Mustard -1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves -few
Red Chilli -1
Oil and salt to taste

Method

Cut the Lady's finger into thin circles. The thinner the better.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard.
When it sputters, add the curry leaves and red chilli.
When it sizzles, add the cut okra and fry it till it starts to brown.
Transfer to a bowl and let it cool.
In the meanwhile, grind coconut, curry leaves, green chilli and jeera into a fine paste adding enough water.
Pour this into the cooled Vendakka.
Add some salt and yogurt and mix well.

Paalada Pradhaman

A very tasty payasam recipe. It is not as common as the Ada pradhaman or Semiya but it outruns all of them in its unique taste. As the name suggests, it is the taste of milk that stands out and this itself accounts for its divine taste. Its presenve gives the Onam sadya an added regal touch.

Ingredients

Rice Ada -1 cup /225 grams
Boiled Milk -6 cups
Sugar -3/4 to 1 cup  (to your taste)
Cardamom powder -1/4 tsp
Ghee -2 tbsp
Water -2 cups
Cashewnut -4tbsp
Raisins -4 tbsp

Method

Boil the milk and set it aside.Wash and drain the readymade ada.
Boil the water in a pan till rolling boil. Switch off flame and soak the washed ada in hot water; cover and keep it aside for 20 minutes.
Drain the ada and rinse 2 to 3 times under cold water thoroughly to remove all the excess stickiness out of it. Set aside in water until you add it to the payasam.
Heat a heavy bottomed vessel or in uruli in a medium low flame and pour in one tbsp of ghee. Add sugar and saute until it melts with ghee.
Now add ada and roast till it changes color to light golden and is well coated with sugar and ghee.
Pour the boiled milk to ada sugar- ghee mixture and continue boiling until it thickens and its color changes to pale pink; stirring continiously (approximately 30-45 minutes)
Add the cardamon powder and mix well.
Heat the ghee in a pan and fry cashew nut and raisins. Add this to the payasam.

Ada Pradhaman

This is the tastiest of all payasams and comparitively more time consuming too. An Onam sadya without ada pradhaman is unheard of. The taste of Rice ada blended with jaggery and coconut milk is so divine that i'm sure no one can stop with just one cup.

Ingredients

Ada - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Coconut milk - 2 cups
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 1 tbsp chopped
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Coconut pieces - 1 tbsp

Method

Boil water, switch off and then add the ada and keep aside for 15-20mins until it becomes slightly soft. It should only be slightly soft as it will again get cooked with the coconut milk and jaggery syrup.
Drain water and set aside the ada. Now start taking coconut milk, grind coconut with little water and extract 2 cups of coconut milk. One should be thick and another cup a bit thin . Fry cashews and coconut pieces in ghee and keep aside. Skip soaking and draining of ada if you are making ada at home
Add water to jaggery just to immersing level and mix well till jaggery fully dissolves. Now strain the jaggery to remove the impurities. Then allow the jaggery syrup to boil for 3-5mins until it starts thickening.
At this stage add the cooked ada, ghee and give a stir and cook till the jaggery starts thickening. Now add the thin coconut milk first allow it to boil in sim for 5 mins. Then add the thick coconut milk and simmer for another 5-7 mins.
Simmer it until the payasam gets thick. It will further get thickened so take it a bit runny. Add cardomom powder , ghee fried cashews and coconut pieces, give a quick stir and switch off. Serve it hot or cold as per your liking.

Parippu Pradhaman

This is a variety payasam recipe and not a very common one. But it is easier to make when compared to the other payasams and it is super tasty. The moong dal blended in jaggery tastes awesome. I had no plans of making this one for our onam sadya. But I had some left over dal and my refrigerator was almost full. So I thought ill make a payasam and finish it off. The payasam came out perfectly and i'm happy!

Ingredients

Split Moong Dal - 1 cup
Jaggery  - 2 cups
Semi  Medium Thick Coconut milk - 2nd extract thin coconut milk - 1 cup
1st extract thick Coconut milk -  1/2 cup
Cardamom powder  : 1/4 tsp
Chukku Podi -1/4 tsp
Cumin powder  - 1/4 tsp
Cashew nuts -10-15 nos
Raisins-1 tbsp
Ghee /Clarified Butter : 2 tbsp or as required

Preparation

Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan or in an Uruli. Fry the raisins until plump and drain. Add in the cashews and fry until golden brown and drain on to a paper towel and set all these aside.
Now add the split moong dal and fry for couple of minutes until they turn a little golden brown. Now add 3 to 3.5 cups of water and boil it; once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and allow to cook till it is half done. This took me about 10 minutes. (or) pressure cook for one whistle. After the pressure settles, open the cooker. Mash the moong dal  well with the back of a spatula and set it aside.
Meanwhile melt the jaggery in 2 cup water in a  pan over medium low heat and keep on stirring till it is fully melted (almost the consistency of honey) It would not take more than 10-15 mins.
Transfer the cooked mashed moong dal to an uruli  or a wide mouthed heavy bottomed pan . Strain the jaggery syrup and cook for a few minutes over medium heat.
5. Add the semi thick coconut milk /2nd extract, mix well and boil again stirring continuously over medium-low heat for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
6. Finally add the Thick Coconut milk - 1st extract and cook for a minute at low heat and switch off the flame. Keep stirring until the milk is incorporated. (Note: Do not boil the coconut milk, boiling will result in separated coconut milk.)
7. Switch off the stove add cumin powder, dry ginger powder and cardamom powder. Mix well.
8. Finally add the fried cashews, fried raisins and 1/2 tsp ghee (optional).
9. Delicious Parippu Prathaman is ready to serve...Serve warm or cold and Enjoy!

Potato Carrot Mezhukkupuratti

This is a very tasty and easy mezhukkuperatti recipe. Potato and carrot makes a great combination and when it is sauted in oil it gives a balanced taste that is clearly out of this world. The masalas used may vary from place to place. Here I've used turmeric, garam masala and chilly powder. I've tried the same with cumin powder and turmeric and that also tastes great.

Ingredients

Potato - 3
Carrot - 2
Onions chopped - 1 small
Garlic - 2 cloves
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method

Crush Onions and garlic in a mortar and pestle.Clean and Slice the carrots lengthwise and put it in water, if not it may cause potatoes to change color.Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, crushed onions and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add chili powder , turmeric powder and Garam masala and toss it well for a minute.Add drained potato , carrots , salt and 1/4 cup water. Cover it with a lid and cook for 7-10 minutes or until its is cooked and dry. Uncover and saute for another 3-4 minutes , stirring frequently. Serve warm

Payar Mezhukkupuratti(Beans Mezhukkupuratti)

This is a simple Mezhukkuperatti recipe and undoubtedly my husbands favourite mezhukkupuratti dish. When ever i tell him to buy some grocery from the market, he always comes home with a bunch of payar neately tied up. He likes it with matta rice. I always use a bit of wayer for getting it cooked easily. But for better taste, you can avoid it. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Long beans -500g
Coconut oil
Mustard seed-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves1 sprig
Onion (medium)-1 number
Ginger(crushed)-1 tsp
Garlic (crushed)-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Chilli powder-1 tbsp
Salt

Method

Cut long beans into 1.5 inch long pieces. If the beans are matured, take out the seeds and use only seeds. Thinly slice onion. You can also use shallots instead of onion.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Splutter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves.
Add chopped long beans, sliced onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Add 1 tsp oil and stir it well until well combined. Cover and cook with little water. Don't add much water. It naturally has a lot of water in it, which releases when they are cooked.
Cook in medium heat until water gets almost dried up. Stir in between, otherwise it can get burnt. It might take around 15 - 20 minutes.
Add 1- 2 tsp oil, saute it for around 5 minutes in medium flame until it gets roasted well. Serve with rice

Cabbage and Carrot Thoran

This is the most commonly made of all thorans in my home. It is easy to make and very very tasty. It tastes great when served with warm matta rice and kaachiya moru. I usually make it in bulk hoping to make it last for a few days. But it seldom would. Everyone is sure to ask for more helpings and it would be finished in the wink of an eye. A no fail recipe in my home!!

Ingredients

Cabbage -1 cup, shredded
Carrot - 1 no, grated
Freshly grated coconut- 1/2cup
Onion -1 medium
Green chilles-3 nos
Garlic -3 cloves
Cumin Seeds-1/4tsp
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
Curry Leaves- 2 springs
Oil -1tblsp

Method:

Grind coarsely, coconut, onion, green chilies, garlic, cumin seeds and turmeric powder and salt. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry mustard seeds. Add coarsely ground coconut mixture and curry leaves and fry for one minute. In to this add shredded cabbage and grated carrot. Mix well, cover and cook on low flame for 3 minutes. Open lid and stir well until all the water in it evaporates. Serve hot as a side dish with boiled rice.

Vanpayar curry(Red cowpeas curry)

This preparation was not at all planned in my Onam sadya's "To-do" list. But after I made the erissery with mathanga, I had some left over vanpayar. This made me to make this easy vanpayar dish. This is very tasty and you can have it with kanji or matta rice. We even have it with puttu for breakfast.

Ingredients

Vanpayar – 250 grams
Onion, sliced – 1
Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
Tomato – 1/4th
Chilli Powder – 1 tablespoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric – 1/4 teaspoon
Water – 4 cups (you can add more later to get the consistency you desire)
Salt to taste
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves

Tempering

Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
small onion, sliced – 3
curry leaves – garnishing

Method

Wash the vanpayar couple of times with water.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the onions. Saute till it’s translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste, Chilli powder, coriander, turmeric powder. Stir.
To this add the chopped tomatoes and saute all together till the tomatoes are mushy.
Now, add the washed vanpayar to this and saute for a minute to coat it with the masala. Add salt.
Pressure cook this in 4 cups of water for about 4-5 whistles. Add more salt, if needed.
Meanwhile, in another pan heat oil, for the tempering. Splutter mustard seeds. Add sliced small onions and saute. Then add 1 sprig curry leaves. Add this mixture to the cooked vanpayar.

Mathanga Vanpayar Erissery(Pumkin and Cowpeas Erissery)

I love this dish. This has a definite nostalgia in my mind simply because I always make it for Onam. We never buy pumkin in our home except for special occassions when I have to make special dishes. So this curry is a welcome guest in our home during festival times. It is very very tasty and an important dish in Onam Sadya.

Ingredients

2 Cups - Chopped Yellow Pumpkin
1/2 Cup - Van payar/Red Beans/ Black eyed beans
3/4 tsp - Red Chili Powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric Powder
2 - Slit Green Chilies
4 or 5 - Curry Leaves
To Grind
3 tbsp - Granted Fresh Coconut
1/2 tsp - Cumin Seeds
1/4 tsp - Turmeric Powder
1 tsp - Chopped Garlic
3 - Shallots or half small onion
For Tempering
1 tbsp - Oil (Preferred Coconut Oil)
1/2 tsp - Mustard Seeds
6 or 7 - Curry Leaves
2 - Dry Red Chilies
2 tbsp - Grated Coconut

Method

Wash and soak  red bean (vanpayar) over night, rinse 2-3 times in fresh water and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles with 1 cup water and little salt.
Cut pumpkins along the lines in it like in wedges this way we can peel it easily.
Remove the flesh part, peel and chop pumpkin in small pieces, peel and chop shallots or onion, and garlic keep aside for grinding.
In a pan or wok heat 1 cup of water add pumpkin pieces, curry leaves, turmeric powder, red chili powder,salt and slit green chilies.
While pumpkin gets cooked grind together all the items listed under 'To Grind' to fine paste, use 1-2 tbsp of water if required.
Cook pumpkin for 10-12 minutes or until pumpkin gets cooked.Once pumpkin gets cooked, mash slightly with the  back of ladle. Add cooked beans and mix well.
Add ground coconut mixture mix and add 1 cup water (or use lobia boiled water, add more water if want thin consistency) and bring it to boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes or until desire consistency is reached, off flame.
To prepare tempering, in a tadka or small pan, heat oil. Now add mustard seeds and allow to splutter, add curry leaves, dry red chilies and coconut.
Saute in low flame until coconut becomes golden brown. Switch off flame. It takes 3-5 minutes in slow flame.
Pour the tempered coconut over erissery and mix it well.

Paavakka kondattam(Bitter Gourd)

To tell you the truth, I have this ultimate hatred for bittergourds/pavakka. I hate its mezhukkuperatti, thoran and the healthy smoothies. The only way I can tolerate it is when it comes in this form, as kondattams. The dried curd reduces the intensity of its bitterness and when fried, it becomes very tasty.  A perfect combination with rice.

Ingredients

10 bitter gourds thinly sliced
3 or 4 tbsp yogurt
Salt enough to taste

To fry the chips

Coconut oil enough to deep fry

Preparation

Mix the sliced bitter gourd, curd and salt together. Make sure the curd is evenly coated in all the slices.
Spread them on a large and wide plate or drying mat and keep them under sun till the yogurt and bitter gourd dries up completely. It will take almost a week approximately. (Every night bring the plate inside and put them in the sun during the day)
You can store this sun dried bitter gourd in an airtight container While serving, fry them in oil until its brown in color.

Kaachiya Moru

This is the most commonly made main curries/ozhichu curry with rice in Kerala. It is very simple to make and i'm sure that every housewife must have made this atleast once in her lifetime. It tastes great.The foodies in my home like to pour it into a glass and drink it as such. I wouldnt object as it is the best cooler drink next to butter milk to beat the hot summers.

Ingredients

Yoghurt/Curd - 500 ml
Shallots - 4 or 5, sliced
Chopped garlic - 1 tsp
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Green chilly - 2, chopped
Dry red chilly - 1 or 2
Curry leaves - a sprig
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Oil - 1 tbsp (preferably coconut oil)

Preparation

Add water to curd and beat it well to the required consistency. It should be thicker than buttermilk. Add salt to it and keep aside.
Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds followed by fenugreek seeds.
Add shallots, dry chilly, ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves and saute well till you get a nice aroma.
Lower the flame to medium-low. Add turmeric powder and the curd and mix well. Switch off the stove when the curry is warm. Do not bring to boil as the curd gets separated.
Serve with rice.

Sambar

Sambar is a dish that is very common in south India. It can be served with Idli, Dosa or Rice. My mom makes it perfectly and when ever I make it , I long for her magical mastery. I hope one day I can nail it as pergectly as she does it. Everyone here likes it a lot and I make it very often here sometimes for breakfast or for lunch and even for dinner if we suddenly feel like eating some steaming hot idlis.

Ingredients

Drumsticks -1 (cut lengthwise)
Lady's finger - 5-6 nos
Brinjal-2 small
Cucumber-1/2
Potatoes - 1
Tomato - 1
Small Red Onions /Shallots - Handful (cut into halves)or Onion 1(medium, sliced thickly)
Green Chilly - 2-3 (slit, lengthwise)
Toor dal - 1 cup
Tamarind - Gooseberry sized (soaked in half a cup of hot water for 10 mins)
Asafoetida/Kayam - 1 small piece /1/2 tsp of Asafoetida powder
Coriander leaves - 1 sprig
Salt to taste

For Tempering
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds : 2 pinches
Curry leaves : 1 sprig
Coriander powder : 2 tsp
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp 
Sambar Powder : 3 tsp
Coconut Oil or any Cooking Oil : 1 tbsp

Preparation

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for sometime, squeeze and take the extract from it. Keep aside. Pressure cook toor dal with water, 1/4 tsp of tumeric powder and salt for 4- 5 whistle.
After the pressure settles open the cooker and add the vegetables, which are slow to cook like potatoes,drumsticks.
Meanwhile in a frying pan; add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and throw the chopped ladies finger, saute it well; now add handful of small onion and saute till it become transparent, followed by chopped tomato; reduce the flame to medium and close pan and cook for couple of mins. Remove from the fire and keep it aside.
Now add the tamarind juice to cooked dal vegetable mixtures; stir and simmer on low flame for some more time, add more salt if needed.
When the vegetables are cooked and mixed well with dal. Add fried shallots, ladies finger and tomatoes mix everything well and bring to boil.
Sprinkle asafoetida powder and simmer for a minute. Remove from flame and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan /wok; add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter, throw the dried red chillies and half of the curry leaves and fry for a minute.
Mix in the sambar powder, coriander powder and chilly powder and saute for a few seconds on low flame.
Pour the sambar to the pan; mix well for a few minutes. Remove from flame and sprinkle 1/4 tsp coconut oil and add chopped coriander leaves, reaming curry leaves and keep covered till served. Let the flavor set.
Mix the curry well before serving.

Kerala Parippu Curry(Dal Curry)

Parippu curry is the prime and integral part of an Onam sadya. Parippu with pappadam is the twin attraction of a yummy rice meal. It tastes really great. My husband likes to drizzke ghee on the dal after it is served on the plate. This gives an added taste to the meal. It is especially a healthy and nutritious dish for growing up kids.

Ingredients

Dal - 1/2 cup
Small Onion - 5 finely sliced
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Water - as required
Ghee - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

To grind to a paste:
Fresh Grated Coconut - 1/3 cup
Green Chilli - 1
Jeera - 1/4 tsp

To temper:
Coconut Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - a small sprig
Red Chilli - 1

Method

Dry roast dal till golden or until nice aroma rises.Then transfer it to pressure cooker and pressure cook it along with a pinch of turmeric powder , salt and required water.
Once dal is cooked mash it up once, set aside.Grind the ingredients listed under 'to grind' along with little water to a fine paste,Set aside.
Now transfer the dal to a pan and let it boil for 2mins.Then add coconut paste and let it boil for a good 5mins in low flame.Adjust salt at this stage.
Let it boil once the raw smell of coconut paste leaves, switch off and set aside.Now prepare your tadka(tempering) in a tadka pan heat oil add mustard seeds,curry leaves and red chilli let it splutter then add finely sliced small onion and fry till slightly browned.
Now transfer the prepared tempering to the dal, drizzle ghee give a quick mix.
Serve hot with rice and papadam.
Kerala Parippu Curry Recipe

Avial

This is the most common of all onam sadya recipes. I've never in my life seen a sadya without Avial proudly spread on the banana leaf. It is an integral part of every onam sadya. Highly nutritious because of the presence of a wide variety of vegetables and very tasty too.

Ingredients

Brinjal-1/4 cup
Ash gourd -3/4 cup
Cucumber - 1 cup
Carrot -1
Drumstick -1
Beans -6-7
Potato -1
Raw plantain -1
Raw Mango - few pieces (5-6 medium size pieces)
Elephant foot yam -100 grams
Curd -2 tbsp

For the grinding

Grated coconut - 1 cup
Cumin seeds /Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli -3

For the seasoning

Coconut oil - 2-3 tsp
Curry leaves - few

Preparation

Peel the skin and cut all the vegetables into 2 inch long piece.

Coarsely grind grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds. Keep it aside.

Since each vegetable needs different time for cooking, I cooked cucumber, plantain, brinjal and ash gourd together in a pan separately adding salt needed for that alone. When it is half cooked, add chopped raw mangoes.
Pressure cook the rest of the vegetables adding salt and turmeric powder for 2 whistles.You can cook in open pan also.The vegetables should be soft but not mushy.
Add the grounded coconut paste and cook for a few minutes. Remove from flame.
Add curd and mix well. Check for salt. Season with coconut oil and curry leaves.

Vellarikka Kichadi(Cucumber Kichadi)

This is a very simple and delicious kerala style preparation for Onam. I would say that this is the easiest of all Onam dishes. Many times I've mentioned that I love all dairy products especially Curd. So I love this preparation with curd and wouldnt miss any opportunity to make it.

Ingredients needed

   Cucumber - 1 cup heaped
   Yogurt/curd - 3/4 cup
   Salt needed

   For grinding

   Grated coconut -1/3 cup
   Green chillies -2
   Mustard seed -1/4 tsp
   Pearl onions (cheru ulli) -2

   For the seasoning

   Coconut oil -2 tsp
   Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
   Red chilli -2
   Curry leaves -few

Preparation

Peel the skin, discard the seeds and cut cucumber into cubes. I have used sambar cucumber which you can see in the picture.

Grind coconut, green chillies, mustard seeds and pearl onion into a smooth paste adding little yogurt.

Method

Cook cucumber with little water adding salt and curry leaves until soft.

Add the ground coconut paste, cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.
Once it cools a little, add curd and mix well. Heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add red chillies, curry leaves and pour the seasoning over the kichadi.
Check for salt.

Mushroom Greenpeas Masala

This is one of the tastiest vegetarian dishes that we can have with chappathi or Nan. It highlights the spicy and tangy taste of tomatoes and blends in the perfect combination of mushrooms and peas. It can be made very spicy or less spicy according to your wish. 

Ingredients

Mushroom - 8
Green peas, I used fresh - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 3, large
green chilli - 2
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander seeds powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Cream - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves, chopped - 3 tblsp
Kasoori methi - 1 tblsp
Salt - As needed

To temper
Oil - 2 tblsp
Cardamom - 1
Cloves - 1
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp

Method

Cube the tomatoes roughly and grind it to make it as a puree along with green chillies.
I recommend buying white button mushrooms. In a kadai, heat oil, temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table.
When jeera splutters, add the tomato puree, ginger garlic paste, mix well and fry covered for 5 minutes. It will splutter a lot, so better cover it. Then add red chilli, coriander, turmeric powders, kasoori methi and salt and mix well. Fry for another 4 minutes or until oil separates.
Add green peas and little water, cook covered for 2 minutes or until almost done. Meanwhile you can cut the mushrooms. I removed the stem and the black part under the mushroom, but its optional, you can just quarter the mushroom into four.
Add the mushrooms to the masala and 1/2 cup water. Simmer for  minutes.
The mushroom should get cooked. Add garam masala at this stage and mix well.
Add cream slowly while mixing in low flame. Add another 1/2 cup water and let it cook for a minute. Add milk and more water to this and keep in low flame. Never ever put the flame in high at any point after adding cream and milk. Also you have to add gradually while you mix.
After 2-3 minutes, add coriander leaves and switch off the flame.  

Bean Sprout Salad

This one is a gluton free, fat free high fiber salad recipe.This simple, fresh salad is loaded with bean sprouts, tomatoes and zesty lime juice. You can ssemble just before serving. The best way to fill your stomach without regrets.

Ingredients

2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup diced red onion
3/4 cup diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tbsp peanuts
1/4 teaspoon  salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Mix bean sprouts with onion, peanuts, and tomatoes in a serving bowl. Stir in lime juice, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Sweet Corn Chicken Pulav

This is a very tasty recipe that uses a lot of ingredients and requires a bit of an effort. But the final outcome is worth all your efforts. The blending of sweetcorn, chicken and egg makes every bite a delightful experience. It indeed is a dish fit for a king. I prefer my pulav to be lightly bathed in the gravy. But if you want your rice to be richly bathed in a thick gravy, then you need to increase the quantity of all ingredients. 

Ingredients

Basmati rice-2cups
Boiled and shredded chicken-half cup
sweet corn boiled-1cup
green chilli-4
onion-1 small
salt-to taste
turmeric-1/2tsp
red chilli powder-3/4 -1 tsp
Egg-1
oil-1 tsp
Soya sauce -2 tabkespoon
cilantro leaves-1/2cup tightly packed
Mint leaves--1/2 cup tightly packed
cashews-5-6
ghee-2 tsp

To temper

cumin-1/2 tsp
curry leaves-5-6
cloves-3
cinnamon-1"inch stick
ginger garlic paste-1 tsp
cardamom pods opened-2

Method

Wash rice twice and soak in water for 30 mins. Cook it properly and keep it aside.
Chop onion length wise very finely..Heat oil and ghee in thick bottomed vessel and when its hot add in the ingredients needed for tempering.
Saute twice and add in broken cashews and roast them til light brown in colour..Now add onions and green chilli and ginger garlic paste. Cook till brown in colour.
Now add in sweet corn and mix every thing.
Add shredded chicken and cilantro+mint leaves and salt and cook for 5 more mins. Add egg and scramble it. When every thing turns slightly mushy, add soya sauce and mix it with cooked rice.
Your Pulav is ready. Serve it with pappad and salad.

Tuna Sandwich

This is the easiest of breakfast or dinner recipes and one of the tastiest among sandwich recipes. A very tasty dish and it saves a lot of time. A tuna filling for sandwich can be made in different ways by adding cucumber, tomato, spices, other boiled veggies etc. But this one is the simplest and easiest of all. Teach your family nembers how to make it and take some time off from your kitchen while your hubby or kids prepare todays dinner for you. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Toasted slices of Multigrain bread-8 slices
2 cans water-packed tuna fish
2 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 red onion, diced small
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
1tbsp Tomato sauce
Salt and pepper

Method

Use a can opener to cut open the cans of tuna fish, but leave the lid in place. Holding the cans over the sink or a bowl, press the lid into the tuna fish and tilt the can to drain all the liquid. Remove the lids and transfer the tuna fish to a mixing bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, onion, lemon juice, tomato sauce, a sprinkle of salt, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper to the tuna fish. Stir with a fork to combine, breaking up any large chunks of tuna fish as you go. Add more mayo if you'd like smoother, creamier tuna salad. Taste and add more of any of the ingredients to taste. Spread a thin layer between toasted slices of Multigrain bread.

Easy Vanilla Icecream

There are lot of icecream varieties available. It is always a difficult task to choose the best one. But for me, a vanilla icecream is always the King of all. I believe that no other flavour would match the richness and taste of a simple classic vanilla flavour. It can be made very easily at home. There are different methods by which it can be made. Some people use eggs, some use condensed milk. But this method has always been my way of making it and it tastes great.

Ingredients

White sugar as per your taste.
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 tbsp Corn flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Stir sugar, cream, and milk into a saucepan over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Heat just until mix is hot and a small ring of foam appears around the edge.
Transfer cream mixture to a container. Stir in vanilla extract and corn flour and mix thoroughly. Freeze for 3-4 hours. (Overnight is best.)

Caramel Popcorn

This one is a ridiculously simple dish and an ultimate party or movie snack. My family has a sort of addiction towards it. I was literally fed up of all the store bought caramel popcorns and thought ill try it myself this time. And yes, it came out as good as any store bought caramel popcorn(my modesty doesn't allow me to say that it was even better) Everyone liked it. So good bye to store bought  caramel popcorns..

Ingredients

2 ½ cup plain popcorn
1 cup salted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrup
1½ - 2 tsp salt

Instructions

In a small saucepan melt butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and 1 tsp salt together over medium heat. Bring to boil. Boil for 4 minutes without stirring.
Pour caramel mixture over popcorn kept in a large bowl  and stir to coat evenly.
Pour popcorn into lined pan, sprinkle remaining salt on top (1/2 tsp - 1 tsp depending on your personal taste preference) and place in microwave oven. Bake for 1 minute.
Allow popcorn to cool.

Spicy Egg Omelette

This is one of the first things that every girl learns to cook. It is a very very simple and effortless but extremely yummy dish. It is my favourite with rice. A very spicy omelette and a bowl of buttermilk is enough to have a hearty meal. You can increase or decrease the number if ingredients as per your wish. I prefer it to be very spicy.

Ingredients

Eggs - 3 nos(beaten)
Coconut - 2 tbsp(grated)
Onion - 1 no(finely chopped)
Greenchillies - 2 nos(finely chopped)
Corianderleaves - Few(finely chopped)
Curryleaves - 1 spring(finely chopped)
Chillypowder - 1/2 tsp
Pepperpowder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt - As reqd
Ginger sliced-1/2 tbsp

Directions

For preparing spicy egg omelette, take a bowl, add the eggs, grated coconut, onion, green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves, curry leaves, chilly powder, pepper powder and salt. Mix it well.
Heat oil in a pan and pour the egg mixture in it.
Fry the omelette on both sides.
Spicy egg omelette is ready. Serves best with bread or chapathi.

Beetroot Stir fry/Mezhukkuperatti

Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti / Stir Fry is a tasty side dish which goes together with Rice. It is rich in dietary fiber and has no cholestrol. It is the best way by which you can add a lot of nutrition to your kids meal. A very easy recipe.

Ingredients

Chopped Beetrot -2 medium size
Chopped Onion - 1 small
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.
Red chili powder - ½ tsp.
Salt to taste
Oil -1 tbsp
Curry leaves -a few

Preparation

Cook beetroot in little water along with turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.
Heat oil in a pan.
Put onion into it and saute till it turns translucent.
Add the cooked Beetroot and curry leaves into it and fry it.

Curd Rice

This is a very famous south Indian dish and very popular with the Tamilians. The satisfaction and happiness with which my friends explained it to me made me to try it out and i realized that this indeed is a very tasty and filling dish. Please try this absolutely yummy and healthy rice dish.

Ingredients

Rice1/2 cup, uncooked
Water1 1/2 cups or as required
Curd1 cup
Salt1 tsp
OIl1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1/4 tsp
Green chilies 1 piece finely chopped
Ginger 1/2 tsp paste
Urad dal 1 tbsp
Curry leaves 6 pieces

Instructions

Recipe To Boil Rice For Curd Rice
Rinse the rice thoroughly in water alteast 4-5 times. Soak the rice in water for 10 minutes.
Take the rice in a pan or kadhai and add 2-3 times water. Heat the pan and let water comes to boil once.
Cover the pan with lid and let the rice gets boiled for 5-7 minutes. Check the water level in occasionally and add water if required.
Check if rice is cooked properly by pressing few rice strands between fingers.
Once cooked, strain the excess water from rice using a strainer.
Take the boiled rice in a bigger bowl and add yogurt. Mix well.
Add finely chopped green chilies and coriander leaves. Combine well all the ingredients.
Recipe To Make Tempering for Curd Rice
Heat a tbsp of oil in a tadka pan or a small pan.
Once the oil is hot add dry red chili and sauté for few seconds.
Add cumins seeds and sauté until they turn brown.
Now add urad dal and let the dal turns golden in color.
Add few curry leaves  in oil and sauté for sometime.
Also add ginger paste and let the ginger gets cooked in oil for 20-30 seconds.
Tadka for curd rice is ready. Pour the tadka on curd rice and mix it well.
Curd rice is ready to serve. Serve the south indian curd rice with pickle or pappad.

Tomato Rice

This rice preparation is ideal for packing in a lunch box, and sure to be enjoyed by young and old alike. The traditional tempering and common spices attracts everyone. It combines an assortment of ingredients that complement tomatoes best! It is a perfect rice dish for all to relish.

Ingredients

5-6 tomatoes
1 large capsicum or 2 small capsicum
1 large onion or 2 small onions
1 inch ginger
6-7 garlic flakes
¼ or ½ cup fresh coconut or dry coconut
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1 tsp cumin seeds powder/jeera powder
3 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
3 tbsp oil
2 cups rice
salt
water
coriander leaves for garnishing

Instructions

Slice the onions and capsicum.
Make a smooth and fine paste of the tomatoes, ginger, garlic, coconut, green chillies, cinnamon, cloves, jeera powder.
Clean and wash the rice. you can also soak the rice for 20-25 minutes.
in a pan heat oil or ghee.
Fry the cumin seeds, bay leaves.
add the sliced onions and brown them.
Now add the sliced capsicum and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Measure the masala paste in a measuring cup and add it.
for 2 cups of rice you will need 4 cups of the paste.
If the paste yield is less then add water.
Add salt and cover and cook the rice till its done.
Garnish tomato rice with fresh grated chopped coriander leaves
serve tomato rice hot.

Lemon Rice

This is a very common rice fish in South India and the most often made of all the rice dishes. The addition of peanuts gives the dish an additional charm. It can be prepared easily and hence the favourite tiffin item for all mothers. Please try it.

Ingredients

½ cup moong dal or yellow split peas;
1 and ½ cup rice
4 tbsp lime or lemon juice
1 tbsp black mustard seeds;
1 dry red chilli
1 green chilli, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
3 cups water
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Few unsalted peanuts

Method

Wash and soak rice and dal, separately, for 15 minutes. Once soaked, wash, drain the water and keep aside.
In a deep pan, bring 3 cups of water to boil. The water level should be to ½-inch above the rice.
Add soaked rice and let it simmer covered, on low-medium flame, until the rice gets cooked (it will take about 15 minutes). Turn off the flame and let the rice rest for five minutes.
Once done, remove from the stove, drain off the excess water, take a fork and fluff the rice so you will have nice separate grains. Keep the cooked rice aside.
In a small bowl, mix lemon juice with turmeric powder and salt.
Now take another pan, heat some oil and add the mustard seeds and dried red chilli. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, reduce the heat to low flame and add soaked and drained dal and lemon juice mixture. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked rice along with ginger and chopped green chilli . Stir gently for about 1 minute and your lemon rice is ready to serve!
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and unsalted peanuts.

Kadai Paneer Gravy

I have tried almost all the common paneer recipes and was searching for a different one today. I was ecstatic when I came across this new recipe that could easily be made with the things I already have in my pantry.  A very tasty recipe with tomato as the predominant ingredient. It tastes great with Nan and Chappathi.

Ingredients

250 to 300 gms paneer
1.5 inch ginger, chopped + 7-8 medium sized garlic, chopped, crushed in a mortar-pestle to a fine paste.
1 to 2 green chilies, chopped
2 medium sized onions, finely chopped
7 medium to large tomatoes (2 tomatoes, finely chopped and 5 tomatoes, pureed in a blender)
¾ to 1 tsp garam masala powder
½ tbsp crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves
½ to ¾ cup water
3 tbsp cream
2 to 3 tbsp oil or ghee or butter
a few chopped coriander leaves for garnish
salt as required
for the kadai masala:
5 tsp coriander seeds
4 to 5 dry kashmiri red chilies, if using any other variety of dry red chilies, then reduce to 2 to 4 depending on the heat  of the chilies.

Instruction

First roast the coriander and dry kashmiri red chilies in a pan on a low flame till aromatic.
When the spices cool, grind both of them in a grinder to a semi fine powder. Keep aside.
Finely chop the onions.
Finely chop 2 tomatoes. Roughly chop 5 tomatoes and add them to the blender. Make a puree of the tomatoes. Keep the tomato puree aside.
Crush the ginger-garlic to a fine paste in a mortar-pestle.
In a pan heat oil or ghee or butter. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till their raw aroma disappears.
Then add the chopped onions and saute till transparent.
Add the ground coriander and kashmiri red chilli powder that we made. Also add green chilies.
stir well and saute for few seconds. add the tomatoes and saute for 2 to 3 mins. Then add tomato puree.
Stir well and continue to saute till you see oil leaving the sides.
Add water and salt and continue to simmer for some 7 to 8 minutes.
Later add crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves and garam masala powder and stir.
Add the paneer cubes or slices. Stir gently. Cook the paneer for about 2 to 3 mins.
You can also 3 tbsp of cream towards the end. Just stir the cream gently in the gravy.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve kadai paneer gravy with rotis, naan, steamed rice or jeera rice.

Chocolate fudge brownies

The one thing that I can never resist is chocolate, whatever form it might be. I may be on an intense diet plan. But the mere mention of a chocolate is enough to leave all vows and pledges behind. Im sure that a majority of you will be like me. This is a rich chocolate recipe which  would definitely soothe the sweet cravings of all chocolate lovers. Make it as a special celebration treat for your loved ones.

Ingredients

1/2 cup  salted butter
250 gm coarsely chopped quality semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons  all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
You can add a pinch of salt if your butter is unsalted.
1 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

You can have an optional frosting too if you want.

Directions

Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour into a large mixing bowl, and allow to slightly cool for 10 minutes.
Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9x9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
Whisk the granulated and brown sugars into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla. Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35-36 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few moist crumbs when the brownies are done.
Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Once cooled, lift the foil out of the pan and cut into squares.

For the optional frosting: sift together  confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder to assure there are no lumps. Set aside. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted sugar/cocoa powder alternately with the heavy cream and vanilla. Beat on low speed after each addition. Once all added, beat on high speed until creamy and combined for at least 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Frost the brownies before or after cutting into squares, whichever you prefer. I did it after cutting into squares and laid one above the other with frosting in between to make a sandwich brownie.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ive lost count of howmany times ive made chocolate cookies in my home. It is the favourite teatime snack of everyone and hence I make it very often. But this time, for a change I included some peanut butter too and the cookies turned out to be even better. Realized that baked Peanut butter has a more rich taste than how it is when it is spread on breads. Please try it out. This indeed is an awesome cookie recipe.

Ingredients

1 1⁄4 cups butter softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3⁄4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut butter

Directions

Heat oven to 350°.
In large mixer bowl, mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into creamed mixture. Stir in peanut butter.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.).
Cool slightly,  remove from cookie sheet onto wire rack. Cool completely.

Sour Cream Potato Casserole

This one has different uses in our home. We sometimes eat it as such, sometimes it becomes a tasty non spicy side curry for chappathis and parathas and sometimes it becomes a great side dish with Friedrice and noodles too. If you are looking for a tasty non spicy curry to feed your little ones, then this is the perfect option. This is a very tasty and easy to make recipe. Please give it a try.

Ingredients

3 big potatoes, peeled
Salt
1 cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Coriander for garnish

Directions

Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add enough salt so the water tastes quite salty. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.

As soon as the potatoes are tender, mash it well. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, slowly whisk in enough of the hot milk/butter mixture to make the potatoes very creamy. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the sour cream and pepper and whisk to combine. Garnish with Coriander leaves. Taste for seasoning and serve hot.

Hidden Egg in a Basket

This is a very yummy and easy recipe. The perfect melange of baked potato with the quails egg and cheese creates a medley of flavours in our mouth. It serves as a perfect tea time snack when it is served with hot tea. The visual impact is also captivating. To sum it all up, it is a must try recipe for everyone. I guarantee that the serving plates would be wiped clean in the wink of an eye just like how it happened in my home.

Ingredients

2 quail eggs boiled
1 large potato, baked and mashed
¼ cup cheese
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tbsp Coriander leaves

1/2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1tbsp chilly  powder
salt and pepper to taste
Oil
Mustard-1/4tbsp

Instructions

Mix Potato, coriander leaves, masalas, ginger garlic paste, salt and pepper in a bowl and slightly saute it for 2 minutes in some oil after sputtering mustards. Once it cools down, make 2 balls out of it. Dig a well in its top centre and embed a boiled quails egg in it.  Pour some cheese over the egg in such a way that the egg is covered. Keep it in the microwave and bake for just a minute, only till the cheese slightly melts. No need to cook further as all the ingredients are already cooked. Serve hot.

Stuffed Egg Paratha

Though I had a hard time trying to stuff the egg mixture perfectly inside the wheat flour dough, once done and cooked , the taste pretty much made up for all my efforts. Scrambled egg is my favourite egg recipe. So imagine my happiness when i realized that i could even use it as a stuffing for paratha. And if you have some left over scrambled eggs after doing the stuffing, well, just have it with the stuffed egg paratha like I did. A tasty Paratha recipe which is a must try.

Ingredients

Wheat flour-1/2 cup,
Fresh eggs' 2,
Water: almost 1/4 cup,
chilly powder-1tsp
Pepper powder-1Tsp
Salt as required
Cooking Oil ( or Ghee)

Instructions

In a bowl take flour and add little salt to it.
Sprinkle little water at a time and knead a soft dough.
Cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes take out the dough and knead it once again.
Divide the dough into balls
Take one part and roll the dough to a ball.
Dip this ball in dry flour and make a oval shape.
Press it gently with your fingers yo widen it.  Put a mix of scrambled egg, chilly powder, coriander leaves and pepper powder in its centre and cover it with another dough made in the same way. Now press the edges of both the dough together with the egg mixture secured inside. Now roll it gently  to required shape.Heat a Tawa yo burning hot.Cover the paratha and cook it for 1 -2 minutes from both sides.
Gently press with the spatula from both side to make sure paratha is all cooked from inside.
Serve this egg paratha with pickle, chutney and salad.

Sweet Corn Paratha

My baby boy has recently started a liking to sweet corn( He is somewhat addicted to it since the last few days) So I had a few packets of sweet corn kernels in my fridge. So when I thought about trying out a different kind of paratha, the sweet corn came to my mind. I experimented on it and it came out perfect. Do here is my sweet corn Paratha recipe. If you want you can blend the sweet corn and make it into a pulp before stuffing it. I preferred it this way) Enjoy.

Ingredients

Wheat flour  - 1 cup
Sweet corn - 1/4  cup
Butter-1tbsp
Pepper powder-1 tbsp
Oil - 2-3 tbs
Coriander leaves  - 2-3 tbsp
Green chilly - 1-2 Chopped
Salt - ½ tsp or as per taste

Method

Take out the dough in a bowl. Boil the corn kernels until they are very soft and juicy. Mix it with buttet and pepper. Add the sweet corn  to the wheat flour. Add salt, green chillies and coriander leaves to the mixture. Now knead the flour using water. Let the wheat dough be a little hard in comparison to the normal dough. Cover the dough and let it remain for 20 minutes. Our dough will become fluffy and will set.
Now apply a little oil on your hands and smoothen the dough by kneading it for a while.  Put the pan over a flame to heat.
Break a ball of dough having the size of a lemon. Put some dry flour on it. Now we will roll out the balls smoothly one by one. It should be approximately 4 to 5 inch in length. Once the paratha is rolled, put oil on top. Spread the oil evenly on all four sides using a spoon. Fold the paratha in half. Put a little oil on top of this also and spread it. Once again fold the paratha into half.
Now wrap it with dry flour and roll it again. Prepare a thick paratha. Make sure it is neither too thin nor too thick. Our triangular paratha is rolled out and ready. Heat the pan. Apply oil on it and spread it all over the pan’s surface. Put the paratha in the pan and let it fry. Turn the paratha over once it gets a little brown in colour. Apply oil on all sides of the paratha and then flip it. Fry the paratha till it becomes golden brown in colour from both sides. Serve hot with chutney, pickle or curd.

Baked Fish

A fish fry is every non vegetarians' favourite dish. Mine too. But the only problem is the fact that it is fried in a lot of oil which is bad for health and diet. That is when I came across this healthy baked fish recipe. A no-oil, no-fail recipe and tasting almost like a fried fish. Easy to make. So try this recipe and eat fish without regrets.

Ingredients

2 tbs honey
Fish- 7-8 small pieces
1 tbs chilly powder
1/2 tbs pepper powder
1/2 tbs Coriander powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tbs Tomato sauce and Salt as needed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl, mix honey, tonato sauce, salt,masala powders and lemon juice. Spread the mixture over the fish pieces. Arrange in a medium baking dish.
Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish easily flakes with a fork.

Stuffed Cheese Paratha

Parathas are very common in every indians' home, be it for breakfast or lunch or dinner. The main reason is that it is wholesome and sustaining. So different varieties of Parathas are tried out everywhere. This cheese paratha is a not so common varient of a paratha. But it is very easy to make and tasty too. A pickle or curd is enough to have a hearty meal when Parathas are served. Please try this variety Paratha today.

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups wheat flour
1-1/2 cups grated cheese
2 green chillies thinly chopped
A pinch of black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Water to knead a dough
Cooking oil

Directions

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl and knead a soft dough by slowly adding the water.
Apply little bit of oil on the dough and set aside for 5-6 minutes.
In the meantime, mix the cheese, green chillies, pepper powder and little bit of salt.
Take a small ball of dough and roll out into 2″ diameter, place a spoonful mixture in the center of the rolled out roti and seal the edges.
Again roll out gently to make a proper size paratha and make sure that the cheese should not come out.
Heat a tawa and drizzle some oil.
Place a rolled out paratha on hot tawa.
Spread some oil all over and cook on medium high flame.
Cook from both the sides until paratha turns to crisp and little browned.
Serve hot with curd, roasted papad and pickle.

Chocolate Icecream

I dont think there is anyone who doesnt like icecreams. And when it is Chocolate, that is an added bonus. All of us in our family like icecreams. Till now I've made only vanilla icecreams or custard. This time i tried out chocolate icecream and it became perfect. It was super tasty. I didnt chill it much because I wanted my little boy to eat it too. Try it.

Ingredients

½ cup sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup fresh cream.
Milk-1/4 cup
Corn flour- 1heaped tbsp
Sugar- Only if needed
Vanilla essence-Few drops.

Instructions

Pour sweetened condensed milk in a bowl and sift in half of the unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir until combined. Sift in the remaining half cocoa powder and corn flour and whisk until homogeneously mixed.
Then whip 1 cup of whipping cream until stiff. Transfer the  whipped cream into the cocoa powder and sweetened condensed milk mixture  and whisk until well mixed. Doing this, the batter should be thinned out. Pour in milk and sugar if needed and stir well. Add vanilla essence and stir.
Transfer the batter into a container and cover with a plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight until completely frozen.

Paneer Paratha

A Paneer Paratha is the most delightful of all parathas and is our family favourite. Paneer is an ingredient that is commonly bought in my home and ive tried almost all recipies with it. This is an easy paratha which is a real celebration to a hungry stomach. It tastes great when eaten with Mint chutney or curd.

Ingredients

2 to 2.25 cups whole wheat flour/atta
⅔ cup water or add as required
1 tsp ghee or oil
½ tsp salt or add as required
for paneer stuffing:
200 gms paneer/cottage cheese
1 or 2 green chilies , finely chopped
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp salt or add as required
ghee or oil as required for roasting parathas
Butter (if needed) to sptead on the cooked Paratha.

Instructions

Take 2 to 2.25 cups whole wheat flour, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp ghee or oil in a mixing bowl.
Pour about ½ cup water first.
mix and begin to knead. Add more water if required and knead to a smooth soft dough. Overall i added ⅔ cup water.
Cover and allow the dough to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
For the stuffing, grate 200 grams of paneer.
Add 1 or 2 finely chopped green chilies, ½ tsp garam masala powder, ½ tsp red chili powder and ½ tsp salt. You can add more salt, or red chili powder if you prefer.
Mix everything well so that the spice powders are uniformly mixed with the grated paneer.
Pinch two small balls from the dough and roll them in your palms to make them even.
Dust some flour on the dough balls.
with a rolling pin, roll the dough balls.
Place the paneer stuffing on one of the rolled rounds keeping one inch space around the circumference.
Cover with the other rolled dough and press the edges well.
sprinkle some flour and roll the stuffed paratha to your required shape.
Heat a tava and then place the rolled paratha on it. The tava should be hot. to check the heat, sprinkle a generous pinch of whole wheat flour on the tawa. If the whole wheat flour becomes brown in some seconds, the tawa is hot enough to roast the parathas.
Flip when one side is partly cooked. about ¼ cooked.
Apply ghee on this side with a spoon.
turn over and flip.
Let the ghee side get cooked now.
spread some ghee on the top.
flip again.
Press the edges with a spatula so that the edges are cooked.
Flip once or twice till the paratha has golden spots and is evenly cooked.
Spread some butter on the paratha. Serve paneer parathas hot with some fresh yogurt and chutney.

Aloo Paratha

Is there anyone who doesnt like Potatoes?? I dont think so. It is everyones favourite. The tastiest of all vegetables, I would say. So lets try a delicious Paratha with Potato. Aloo paratha is the most common of all the stuffed paratha recipes. Easy to make and yummy too. Try this.( I hate onions in a stuffed Paratha. So i deliberately neglected it. You can use it if you want)

Ingredients

   Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
   Salt -1/4 tsp flat
   Oil -2 tsp
   Wheat flour for dusting
   Oil for cooking the parathas
  Potatoes- 1 big or 2 medium size
  Green chilly-2 small sliced thin
  Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  Coriander leaves -fistful (finely chopped)
  Garam masala or Kitchen king masala - 1/2 tsp

Preparation

In a wide bowl, add 1 cup of wheat flour, salt, oil, needed water and prepare a soft, smooth dough. Grease your hands with a tsp of oil and knead the dough well. Cover and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes. Prepare the dough just as you prepare for chappathi.
Pressure cook potatoes for 3 whistles or until soft. Peel the skin and mash it well.
Heat 2 tsp of oil, add cumin seeds, when it splutters, add finely chopped green chillies and saute until onions turn transperent. Then add the mashed potatoes, coriander powder, cumin powder, kitchen king masala powder or garam masala powder, chilli powder, salt needed and cook for 2-3 minutes until every thing gets blended well.
Add finely chopped coriander leaves, mix well and leave it to cool.
Divide the dough into 5 equal parts and make balls out of it.
Divide the stuffing into 5 lemon sized balls
Dust a little flour and roll out the dough into a small circle.
Keep a tbsp of stuffing in the center, gather all the corners and seal the dough with the stuffing inside. Press it down gently to flatten it.
Dust a little four and roll out the flattened dough with the stuffing into a 6-7" circle. Do not apply too much pressure as the stuffing might come out.
Heat a tawa and place the rolled out dough.
When you will find small bubbles forming on the surface, spread a tsp of oil and flip it over to the other side.
Spread a little oil on the other side also and cook both sides well until golden brown spots appear.
Remove from tawa after both the sides are cooked well. Serve with curd or chutney or pickles.

Methi Paratha

Methi is not exactly my favourite thing to be involved in a Paratha. But my husband likes it a lot. And this one was made exclusively for him. I was a bit worried whether it would taste bitter. Si I sauted it just a littke bit more. But it came out okay. He liked it a lot and hence what more should I ask for. 

Ingredients

1 cup Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Fenugreek Leaves, tightly packed
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Green Chilli
1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/8 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
Ghee

Instructions

Crush the garlic and green chilli into a little a little course paste and set aside.
Wash and chop the fenugreek leaves and keep it aside.
Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds.
Then add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a few seconds.
Add the chopped fenugreek leaves and turmeric powder and fry  for a couple for minutes or until it wilts.
Take the flour, salt and fenugreek mixture in a bowl and combine.
Make a smooth dough by adding water little by little. Knead it well.
Cover the dough and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 5 equal portions.
Roll each ball into a circle.
Heat a pan and place the paratha on it.
Cook each side with little ghee until brown spots appear on both sides.
Once the paratha is cooked and browned, remove from the pan and keep it in a bowl or roti basket.
Keep covered to maintain softness.
Serve hot with pickle and raita.

Kadamutta Kilikkoodu (Quails Egg Nest)

I tried this recipe because of the visual impact it had on me. Yes, it really looks like the small birds nest that I used to find on the giant trees of my native place. My little boy was especially happy to see the dish and he liked it a lot. Everybody was all praises for the dish. A kilikkoodu is usually done as a vegetarian dish with potato stuffing and it is also made with Chicken. Here I am using a variety nonveg recipe of a Quails egg kilikkoodu. Try it out please. It is a very healthy and tasty dish for children.

Ingredients

1/2 cup quails egg, boiled and sliced.
1 cup potato, cooked
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp ginger- garlic paste
2 tbsp curry leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1 egg
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice
a pinch of garam masala
salt
oil
Vermicelli for coating

Preparation

Cook quails egg. Shred it and keep it aside.
Cook potatoes ,mash it and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add onions and saute till soft. Add green chillies, ginger- garlic paste, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, curry leaves and coriander leaves and saute well.
Add shredded quails egg, saute well and make small balls out of this mixture. If it us difficult to form balls, you can add some mashed potato to soften it.
Mix mashed potato with 1/2 tsp pepper powder, lemon juice ,garam masala and salt.
Cover each egg balls with mashed potato mix.
Beat egg in a bowl and dip each of the above prepared balls into this and roll it in vermicelli .
Heat oil in a pan, fry it till both sides turn golden brown...serve hot...

Chicken Irani

This is a variety chicken dish meant for all those who want a change in their monotonous kitchen schedule. I was not really happy about its visual appeal, but the taste makes up for it. It is a less spicy but awesome chicken dish. It is very easy to make. Everyone liked it here. Hope you would enjoy it too.

Ingredients

Chicken 1 kg (12 pieces)
Salt to taste
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
Oil ½ cup
Yogurt 1 cup (whipped)
Cream ½ cup
Black pepper powder 1 tsp (grinded0
Onion brown ½ cup (grinded)
Green cardamom ½ tsp (grinded)
Almonds 2 tbsp (grinded)
Saffron ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves

Directions

Marinate chicken with salt, lemon juice and ginger garlic paste for 30 minutes.
Heat oil and add marinated chicken.
Fry for 10 minutes.
Add yogurt, cream, salt and black pepper cover and cook till chicken becomes tender.
Lastly add brown onion, green cardamom, almonds, kewra and saffron.
Leave it on simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove and garnish with coriander leaves.

High Roasted Onions

Who would have thought that our humble onion by itself could make such a tasty dish! Just like all of you, I was also surprised and a bit amused when I came across this recipe. I wanted to experiment it as soon as possible. And trust me, this truly is a genius' recipe. It can be made very very easily with almost no effort at all and very less time. Please try this one. Sometimes the simplest of things can do wonders.

Ingredients

2 medium onions, peeled, trimmed, and halved crosswise

12 whole cloves

1 Tbsp  soy sauce

1 Tbsp   olive  oil

1 Tbsp honey

1 1/2 tsp vinegar

1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1/8 tsp salt

Method

Preheat oven to 450 °F (230 °C). Coat foil-lined baking sheet with canola oil cooking spray.

Arrange onion halves on baking sheet and pierce evenly with cloves.

Combine soy sauce, olive oil, honey, vinegar and black pepper in small jar, secure with lid and shake vigorously until completely blended.

Brush 1 Tbsp  of soy mixture evenly over the onions.

Bake for 25 minutes, again brush 1 Tbsp  of soy mixture evenly over onions, bake 5-10 minutes or until richly browned on edges and onions are tender.

Remove from oven and using flat spatula, remove onions and place on serving platter, spoon remaining soy mixture evenly over onions and sprinkle with sugar and salt.

Chettinad Fish Fry

Fish fry is some thing that gives every meal a royal touch. So I try to include its different variations in our lunch to have a hearty meal. This fish fry recipe originated  in the chettinad region of south India. It is a very tasty fish fry recipe making use of a handful of masalas and the rice flour masala makes it very crispy. I realized that this is a dish that i can never resist in my life.

Ingredients

Fish   7 small pieces
Oil    as needed to shallow or deep fry.
Salt    to taste
Rice Flour    1 tbsp
Besan Flour    1 tsp
Masala for Marination
Pearl onion/Shallots   5 no.
Garlic  3 fat cloves
Ginger   1/2" piece
Fennel seeds  1 tsp
Cumin seeds  1/4 tsp
Pepper corns  1 tsp
Chilli powder  1 and 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder  2 tsp

Method

Wash fish pieces thoroughly and drain well completely and keep aside.
Grind all the ingredients under the heading "Masala for Marination" to a smooth paste without water or using 1 tbsp water to a fine paste and transfer to a bowl add enough salt, mix well and keep ready.
Now take one piece and apply the masala paste all over the fish and do repeat the same for all the fish pieces and keep it aside for marination for at least 2-3 hours.
After that, heat oil in a pan...when it gets really hot place 1-2 pieces(based on the pan size) at a time
and fry in low medium heat until the bottom turns crisp n light brown.
Now turn the other side and cook until it turns crisp and cooked well.
Then remove from the pan, drain it in paper towel and serve Hot with lemon wedges and sliced tomatoes.