Beetroot curry

Beetroot is considered to be a “super food”. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and folate. It reduces anemia and blood pressure and improves hemoglobin count. Different  dishes can be prepared with beetroot starting from salad to payasam. Here, I am giving a simple beetroot curry which can be had with roti and rice.

Basic info about the recipe

Cuisine                                                     - South Indian

Serves                                                      - 2-3 people.

Ingredients:

1.   Beetroot                                - 2 nos(small)

2.   Curd                                      - 2 cups

3.   Turmeric powder                  - ½ tsp

4.   Red chilli powder                 - 1 tsp

5.   Salt                                        - to taste

6.   Oil                                          - 1 tsp

7.   Fenugreek powder              - a pinch

8.   Cumin powder                      - ½ tsp

9.   Curry leaves                         - 4- 5 nos

Method: Peel the skin and grate the beetroot.

Add oil in a pan and add the beetroot and sauté for a minute.

Add turmeric, red chilli powder, curry leaves and salt and cook till the beetroot is soft.( add little water, if required)

Turn off the gas and let it cool for 10mts

Beat the curd and keep aside. To this add the cooked beetroot and mix well.

Add the roasted cumin and fenugreek powders and mix well.

Add salt to the curd.

Serve with rice or roti.

Pumpkin Palak Curry

Pumpkin is a vegetable that is available throughout the year and it is not an expensive veg also. Eventhough, there will not be too many pumpkin lovers because of its sweetness,  the fact is it is full of vitamins and fibre.

Pumpkin palak combination goes well with roti and rice.

Basic info about the recipe

Cuisine                                                     - North Indian

Serves                                                      - 3 people.

Ingredients:

1.   Pumpkin                                - 300 gms

2.   Palak                                     - 100 gms

3.   Oil                                          - 2 tsp

4.   Mustard seeds                     - 1 tsp

5.   Methi/fenugreek seeds       - ½ tsp

6.   Turmeric powder                  - ½ tsp

7.   Red chilli powder                 - 1 tsp

8.   Coriander powder                - 1.5 tsp

9.   Hing/asafoetida                    - a pinch

10.                       Salt                              - to taste

11.                       Garam masala            - 1 tsp

12.                       Onion                           - 1 medium

13.                       Tomato                        - 1 small

Method: Cut pumpkin into small cubes.

Clean, wash and chop the palak.

Heat oil in a kadhai and splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek.

Add onion and fry till golden brown.

Add tomato and stir fry till it becomes soft.

Add all the powders and fry for a minute

Add pumpkin pieces and cook well covering with a lid.( add little water)

When the pumpkin is almost cooked, add palak and cook for another 2 mts. ( check salt)

Serve hot.

Veloori Fry

White sardine fish is called veloori in Kerala. It is small in size with lots of health benefits. As an oily fish, it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which is good for controlling blood pressure and heart problems. Lots of recipes can be tried using this fish as it is readily available all times in Kerala. The easiest of all recipes is a simple mouth-watering fry which can be served with rice or as a starter.

Basic info about the recipe

Cuisine                                                     - South Indian

Serves                                                      - 2 people.

Ingredients:

1.   Veloori                                   - ½ kg

2.   Turmeric powder                  - 1 tsp

3.    Kashmiri red chilli powder  - 2 tbsp

4.   Curry leaves                         - 10 nos

5.   Salt                                        - to taste

6.   Ginger-garlic paste              - 1 tsp

7.   Shallots                                 - 3-4 nos

8.   Pepper powder                    - 1 tsp

9.   Oil                                          - for frying.

Method: Clean the fish and keep aside.

Make a paste using shallots, ginger-garlic, turmeric, kashmiri red chilli powder, pepper powder and salt.

Marinate the fish with this paste and keep aside for half an hour.

Heat oil in a pan, Put some curry leaves. ( this will prevent the fish from sticking to the pan)

Add the fish pieces and fry both sides till crispy.  Serve hot.

Note: more pepper powder or normal red chilli powder can be added if you want the dish to be little more spicy.

Idichakka thoran

Idichakka thoran of Kerala, if we translate to English becomes tender jackfruit fry.  Eventhough, North Indians are aware of the very famous ‘kathal fry’, they might not have tried this recipe. Tender jackfruit is available in the markets in plenty nowadays, so you can give your families a shock with this South Indian recipe.

                                 

Basic info about the recipe

Cuisine                                                     - South Indian

Serves                                                      - 3 people

Ingredients:

1.   Tender jackfruit                    - ½ kg

2.   Turmeric powder                  - 1 tsp

3.   Salt                                        - to taste

4.   Mustard seeds                     - 1 tsp

5.   Urad dal                                          - ½ tsp

6.   Dry red chilli                          - 2 nos

7.   Garlic                                     - 2 -3

8.   Raw rice                                - ½ tsp

9.   Coconut (grated)                  - 3 tbsp

10.                       Green chillies                   - 2-3 nos

11.                       Shallots                   - 4 nos

Method: Peel the outer skin and cut the tender jackfruit into small pieces.(while cutting, apply oil to your hands and knife as a gum like substance would come out of the jackfruit).

In a mixer, grind the grated coconut, shallots, garlic and green chillies and keep aside.

In a pressure cooker, cook the jackfruit pieces adding turmeric and salt. Allow 1 whistle. Switch off  the gas. Let it cool.

Now, shred the jackfruit pieces either with your hands or using a mixer.

Heat a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add rice and urad dal and stir fry.

Add curry leaves and dry red chilli.

Add the shredded jackfruit and mix well.

Add the ground coconut and stir. Cover the lid and let all the flavours combine together. Open after a minute and stir well again.

Serve hot with rice.

Banana fritters

Ripe Banana fritters or pazhampori as we call in Kerala is a very famous and traditional snack. You will get to see this item even in small restaurants/hotels when you are in Kerala. Most  people make this with maida. But here, I am making it  with besan, which is more healthy.

Basic info about the recipe

Cuisine                                           - South Indian

Serves                                            - 3-4 people.

                                                

Ingredients:

1.   Ripe bananas             - 2 nos

2.   Besan/gram flour        - 2 cups

3.   Salt                               - a pinch

4.   Sugar                           - 2 tsp

5.   Turmeric powder        - ½ tsp

6.   Oil                                 - for frying.

Method: Peel the bananas and cut into equal halves. Cut each half again into thin long pieces. You can cut each half into three. (Can make 6 pazhamporis with 1 large banana)

Make a batter with besan, salt, sugar and turmeric. The consistency should be that of dosa batter.

Heat oil in a kadhai. Dip each banana piece in the batter and fry both sides flipping in between till golden brown. ( when the oil is hot you can reduce the flame)

Take out the pazhamporis from the oil to a tissue or paper towel which will absorb the excess oil. Serve hot.

Note: To make it more crispy add a spoon of rice flour to the batter.

Mango Payasam

No treat in Kerala is complete without payasam.  Even though, there are some traditional varieties of payasam that are prepared during festivals and marriages, people always like to try payasams with different ingredients depending on the seasonal vegetables and fruits available in the market. It is  summer now and the mango season is on. Why not try mango payasam?

Basic info about the recipe

Cuisine                                                     - South Indian

Serves                                                      - 3 people.

Ingredients:

1.   Ripe mango                          - 1 large

2.   Jaggery                                 - 150 gms

3.   Coconut milk(thick)              - 1 cup

4.   Ghee                                     - 2 tsp

5.   Cashew nuts                        - 10 nos

6.   Kismis                                   - 8 nos

7.   Roasted coconut pieces     - 2 tsp

Method: Peel, wash, cut and grind the mango pieces to form a puree.

Melt jaggery with little water. Strain and keep aside.

Add water to the coconut milk powder to form a thick watery consistency.

Heat a pan and add the melted jaggery. Let it boil for 2 mts.

Add mango pulp and cook both together. Stir continuously till it reaches a thick consistency.

 Add coconut milk and stir well for a minute. Switch off the gas. (Coconut milk might split if brought to a boil)

Heat another pan and add ghee. Roast the cashews, raisins and coconut pieces and pour this on the top of the payasam. Delicious mango payasam is now ready to be served. It can be served hot or chilled.

Note: I have used Coconut milk powder to make coconut milk. You can make fresh coconut milk from coconut also.

Sweetness can be increased/ reduced depending upon your taste buds.

Onion Chutney

Chutneys are great accompaniment with almost all breakfast items and snacks. Different varieties of chutneys can be made. Onion chutney goes well with idli, dosa, uthapam and vada.

Ingredients:

1.   Onions                               - 2 large

2.   Dry red chillies                  - 2nos

3.   Salt                                     - to taste

4.   Coconut oil                                 - 2 tsp

5.   Kashmiri red chilli pwdr    - 1 tsp

Method: Keep a pan and add 1 tsp oil. Fry onions and red chillies adding salt and kashmiri red chilli powder.( kashmiri red chilli powder gives nice colour to the chutney.)

 Grind them and transfer to a bowl.

 Add 1 tsp coconut oil on top and serve.

Wheat Dosa

This recipe is for my North Indian friends who feel making dosa batter with rice a really tough task. Wheat dosa is easy to make, requires no fermentation and is made with the wheat flour that is readily available at your homes. It can be served with sambar, coconut chutney or gun powder.

Basic info about the recipe

Cuisine                                                     - South Indian

Serves                                                      - can make 4-5 dosas

Ingredients:

1.   Wheat flour                           - 2 cups

2.   Salt                                        - to taste

3.   Water                                     - required to form a batter.

4.   Oil/ ghee                               - 1 tsp per dosa.

Method:  Mix wheat flour with salt and water to form dosa consistency.

Heat a pan and pour a ladle of batter in the centre.

Spread in circular motion.

Pour a tsp of oil and wait till it cooks on one side.

Flip to the other side and cook till golden brown.(everything has to be done on low flame)

Remove from tawa and serve hot.

Note: I have provided a basic recipe. You can make variations like adding some onion, tomatoes or green chillies to the batter or some veggies like carrot, capsicum and dhania.