Friday 5 December 2014

Vendakka Khichadi




Khichadi is a traditional South Indian dish which finds its place in any sadya, be it Onam, a marriage or a birthday. It is an easy to prepare curry and requires very little ingredients.

Sunday 30 November 2014

Chicken Varattiyathu



Chicken curry needs no introduction. Non-vegetarians always like to try different varieties of chicken preparations ranging from fry, roast, chinese, north-indian or a South Indian. Today, I am posting an easy chicken curry prepared in a South Indian style.
Basic info about the recipe
Cuisine                                                      - South Indian
Serves                                                       - 4-5 people.
Ingredients                                  
  1. Chicken                                                - 1 kg
  2. Onion                                                   - 4 medium
  3. Tomato                                                 - 3 medium
  4. Ginger-garlic paste                                - 2-3 tsp
  5. Curry leaves                                         - 15-20 nos
6.     Turmeric powder                                   - ½ tsp
  1. Kashmiri red chilli powder                      - 4 tsp
  2. Coriander powder                                  - 3 tsp
  3. Chicken masala                                     - 3 tsp
  4. Fennel powder                                      - 2 tsp
  5. Oil                                                        - 2 tbsp
  6. Salt                                                      - to taste.
Method: Clean the chicken pieces and wash them with turmeric powder added to the water.
After washing strain the excess water and add turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder and salt and keep aside for half an hour.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the ginger garlic paste till golden brown. Add sliced onions to it and fry till brown
Add sliced tomatoes and cook for 5 mts covering the pan with a lid.
Make sure that the onions and tomatoes have form a thick paste.
Add curry leaves, chicken masala and fennel powder and fry till the masalas cook.
Add salt required for the masala.
Mix the marinated chicken to the cooked masala and stir for 5 minutes.
Transfer all the contents to a pressure cooker and give 2 whistles.
Open the cooker immediately and transfer back to the pan.
(Check if the chicken pieces are cooked well. Otherwise you can cook the rest in pan covering with a lid for another 10 minutes.)
Cook on high flame for 5 minutes stirring in between so that you get the right consistency for your curry.
Add some curry leaves and serve hot.


          

Thursday 20 November 2014

Amla Pickle



Amla or the Gooseberry Pickle is a very common pickle made all over India. Amla is rich in vitamin-C, minerals, nutrients and anti-oxidants. Eventhough, the ingredients for the pickle are almost same, the cooking method adopted in different places do differ. This recipe which I am posting is my Mother’s recipe. I have tried my best to make it the same way.

Sunday 16 November 2014

Chicken 65


Chicken 65 is a very popular starter item. It is a much demanded item in restaurants.
It is easy to prepare and require very less ingredients

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Cauli Flower Varutharacha Curry



Its winter time and the cauliflower is available in plenty. So many dishes, including snacks can be made out of this. So, why not a curry in a South Indian style to go with rotis and rice. This can be had even with idli, dosa, puttu or idiappam.

Friday 7 November 2014

Tomato Pachadi



Tomato pachadi is a traditional South Indian curry which is made of coconut and tomato and is served with rice. It is very easy to make and can be prepared in less than 10 minutes time. It is an important side dish for a traditional sadya which is prepared for Onam or marriage.

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Microwave Banana Peanut Cake



Microwave cakes are easy to make. It takes just 10 minutes and your cake is ready. I have already posted a sponge cake and a dark chocolate cake. Today, I thought of trying a different one. As the name suggests, it is a banana peanut butter cake.

Monday 3 November 2014

North Indian Poha Upma




Upma needs no introduction. Many experiments are done in kitchen to make healthy upma with so many things like sooji, poha, bread and nowadays oats. Poha Upma is an excellent breakfast item.
Basic info about the recipe
Cuisine                                                 - North Indian
Serves                                                  - 2 people.
Ingredients
  1. Poha/ rice flakes                         - 2 cups
  2. Onion                                         - 1 no:
  3. Green chillies                              - 2 nos
  4. Turmeric powder                         - ½ tsp
  5. Mustard seeds                            - 1 tsp
  6. Salt                                            - to taste
  7. Lemon juice                                - 1 tbsp
  8. Peanuts                                      - ½ cup
  9. Coriander leaves                         - few sprigs
  10.  Oil                                             - 1 tbsp.
Method: Sprinkle some water and salt to the poha and mix well. Let it rest for 5 minutes. ( If you soak the poha in water, you will not get a dry upma and it will be soggy)
Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add diced onions and green chillies and fry till golden brown.
Add peanuts and fry till done
Add turmeric powder and mix everything well.
Add the poha, stir and cover with a lid for 3 minutes. Check salt at this stage.
Switch offf the gas, pour lemon juice and stir well.
Add the coriander leaves and serve hot.
Notes: Instead of oil alone, you can add butter/ ghee and oil together.






Tuesday 30 September 2014

Wheat and Oats Roll



Roll needs no introduction. Rolls are made of refined flour. I thought of making it healthy with some different ingredients. This can be served as a breakfast item, a tea time snack or for dinner.
Basic info about the recipe
Cuisine                                                           - South Indian
Serves                                                            - 2 people.
Ingredients
  1. Atta                                                      - 2 cups
  2. Oats                                                     - 1 cup
  3. Besan                                                   - 1 tbsp
  4. Salt                                                      - to taste
  5. Carrot                                                   - 1 no:
  6. Onion                                                   - 1 no:
  7. Tomato                                                 - 1 no:
  8. Oregano                                               - as required
  9. Red chilli flakes                                     - as required
  10.  Oil                                                       - as required.

Method: Grate the carrot. Dice the onion and tomato and keep aside.
Make a dosa batter with wheat, oats, besan, salt and water.( the consistency should not be very thick)
Heat a pan and pour a ladle of batter to it. Sprinkle the grated carrot, onion and tomato( like uthappam). Drizzle some drops of oil. Wait to cook.
Carefully flip to the other side and allow to cook.
Remove from pan and sprinkle some red chilli flakes and oregano on top. Roll and serve hot.

Notes: If you are making this for children, you can avoid red chilli flakes and put some grated cheese on top. In that case allow the cheese to melt and then add oregano.

Thursday 25 September 2014

Easy Prawn Biriyani



The name itself suggests that the biriyani is quite simple and easy. Biriyanis are prepared at homes mostly on Sundays. So, why not try this one too.

Monday 8 September 2014

Pizhinju Payasam



This is a traditional payasam of Kerala. It is mostly prepared in temples as an offering to God.

Saturday 16 August 2014

Gobi Manchurian





Gobi Manchurian is a very famous Indo- Chinese item and a favourite of all vegetarians.

Friday 8 August 2014

Sambol



Having given the recipe for suttu, it is time now to post sambol which is the perfect combination for the previously mentioned suttu. Sambol is a Srilankan side dish prepared with coconut. Some would add dry fish to this dish even though I prefer a vegetarian one.
Basic info about the recipe
Cuisine                                                 - Sri Lankan
Serves                                                  - 2-3 people.
Ingredients
  1. Grated coconut                           - half a coconut
  2. Shallots                                      - 6 nos
  3. Red chilli powder                         - 1 tsp
  4. Salt                                            - to taste
  5. Lemon juice                                - 2 tsp

Method: Grind all the ingredients together except lime juice. Water should not be added at the time of grinding as it is a dry chutney.
Transfer to a bowl. Add lime juice. Mix well and serve.










Tuesday 5 August 2014

Suttu



This breakfast item may not be familiar to most people even though it is prepared in some parts of Kerala. It is an easy item with very little ingredients.

Tuesday 29 July 2014

Butter Chicken




Murg makhani, a typical Punjabi dish is better known as butter chicken all over India. It is a much demanded item in restaurants also.

Thursday 24 July 2014

Mulaku Varutha Puli



After a dish from Karnataka, how about a traditional dish from Kerala? Yes, it is from proper Palakkad. Today, I am trying to reproduce the dish the way my mother used to make. It is a 5 minute curry with very little ingredients and tastes good with rice. It is almost like rasam with a little less effort.

Sunday 20 July 2014

Neer Dosa




This is the simplest of all dosas. Neer dosa means water dosa. It is more famous in Karnataka. The reason why it is the simplest is because it can be easily made with rice and requires no fermentation.

Sunday 13 July 2014

Nadan Kozhi Curry



This is a traditional Kerala style chicken curry. Coconut milk, coconut oil, curry leaves, shallots and spices make it a traditional one. This curry goes well with rice, roti, appam or idiappam.

Monday 7 July 2014

Padavalanga Chakkakkuru Thoran


Padvalanga Chakakuru Thoran

Padavalanga Chakkakkuru thoran is a dry side dish served with rice in Kerala. It is made of snake gourd and jack fruit seed. It can be called a seasonal dish as jack fruit seeds are not available all the time.
Basic info about the recipe

Sunday 29 June 2014

Summer Special Broccoli Salad


Broccoli Salad

Salads are no doubt refreshing. This high nutritious super food not only fills your stomach but also makes your meal healthy. Making a salad and a dressing for it all depends on your imagination and the availability of the veggies in your hand.

Monday 23 June 2014

Prawns Roast



Today, I am posting my version of Kerala Prawns Roast. It is a wonderful side dish to go with steamed rice or chapathi. This can even be used as a filling alongwith rice powder to cook prawns puttu.

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Cabbage Tomato Mulakushyam



Mulakushyam is a very popular curry which is had with rice in Kerala. It is considered to be a 5 minute curry. It is can be made with any of these vegetable available in your fridge, like cabbage, raw banana, ash gourd, snake gourd, lauki, potato, raw pappaya, palak, pumpkin, carrot, raw mango and drumstick or even Kerala cucumber. Can you ever think of making a curry with such a combination?

Sunday 15 June 2014

Microwave Dark Chocolate Cake




Baking a cake is time consuming. How about an easy microwave chocolate cake in 5mts?

Tuesday 10 June 2014

Dry Prawns and Raw Mango Curry



This is a traditional curry called unakka chemmeen manga curry in Kerala. This is an all-time favorite even though it is the best option in rainy season when fresh fish is rarely available and the mango season is on. Prawns are dried and stored for future use.

Microwave Eggless Sponge Cake




Baking a cake is time consuming. How about a microwave cake which can be prepared in 7mts that too an eggless one. Let us substitute egg with curd.