Vegetable Curry

Vegetable curry is something that goes well with Chappatis or puris during supper time. Any Indian household is familiar with this vegetable curry, though slight variations can be seen in the choice of ingredients. This is a really healthy side dish since it has loads of veges mixed up, and the yummy taste can make you prepare it often.

Ingredients

• Potatoes- 2
• Tomatoes - 2
• Beans - 100 gms (a handful)
• Onions - 2
• Capsicum - 1/2 
• Green chilies - 2
• Carrots - 2
• Ginger Garlic Paste- 1/2 tsp
• Red chilly powder - 1 1/2  tsp
• Corriander powder - 3 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt
• Oil

Method

1. Clean all the vegetables 

2. Chop (Medium chop)the vegetables

3. Place a cooker on stove and heat it.

4. Pour oil to it and heat it

4. Add chopped onions and green chilies and saute till golden brown

5. Add Ginger Garlic Paste and saute well

6. Add Red chilly powder

7. Add corriander powder

8.Add Turmeric powder

9. Saute well

10. Add chopped tomatoes to the cooker and saute 

11. Now you may add all the chopped vegetables to the pressure cooker.

12. Add salt and mix well

13. Pour sufficient water

14. You may now close the lid and place the whistle. After 2 or three whistles, you may turn off the flame and allow the steam to settle

15. Remove the contents to a bowl and serve hot with chapatis or puris.

16. Enjoy!!

Muringayila Thoran

Muringa ila or drumstick leaves are very healthy for you and you will not resist its yummy taste. I am actually a fan of this tasty leafy vegetable that has loads of iron in it.

The best part of Muringa ila or drumstick leaves is that it is extremely tasty if you prepare with the fresh leaves.

There is a drumstick tree at the backyard of my house. Though a small one, it is sufficient for providing us sumptuous amount of leaves every week, which is transformed into a side dish for lunch. So here is the recipe for Muringa ila thoran for all you folks.

Ingredients

• Muringa ila/Drumstick leaves- 4 handful
• Coconut gratings- 1/2 cup
• Shallots - 6
• Onion - 1 
• Garlic- 2 cloves
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds powder - a pinch or two
• Salt
• Oil

Method 

• Clean the leaves and remove it from the stalk
• Cut the leaves and keep aside
• In a mixer jar, add coconut gratings, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, garlic and shallots. Grind them for 2 seconds
• Heat a Kadai and add some oil
• Add mustard seeds and crack them
• Add the coconut mix to the oil and saute 
• Add finely chopped onions to the kadai and saute
• Now add the cut muringa leaves to the kadai and mix well
• Add salt and mix well
• Close the kadai with a lid for 5 min
• Open the kadai after 5 min and saute with a spatula
• Simmer the flame
• Cook for 5 min after closing the lid
• Now open the lid and cook for yet another 5 min
• Switch off the flame and remove the contents to a bowl
• Serve hot with rice and vegetable curries

Kappa Puzhukku

Kappa or Tapioca is an all time favorite of the people of Kerala. The reason why tapioca gained popularity in this state lying at the southern tip of the Indian Sub continent is because long time ago, the majority of the people of Kerala were farmers. People who were not farmers by profession too had passion towards farming. Every backyard was a vegetable garden and people used to fence the area with tapioca plants.

Tapioca was the food of the working class and many ate it as the main course meal. Even to this day, Tapioca remains the favorite of the people of the state of Kerala, India. 

Kappa Puzhukku or Mashed Tapioca is the favorite Tapioca delicacy of the Keralites. It is served with steaming hot Fish curry, mutton curry, beef curry or even with plain coconut chutny.

Ingredients

• Kappa/Tapioca- 1 Kg (Serves 4)
• Coconut grating- 1 cup
• Shallots- 6 nos
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds powder - a pinch or two
• Salt
• Curry leaves
• Coconut oil

Method

• In a mixer jar, add coconut gratings, shallots, garlic, cumin seeds powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder and curry leaves 
• Grind them for 2 seconds. Do not make it to a fine paste
• Keep it aside

• Take a large vessel and add a lot of water to it and let it boil
• Peel the skin off the tapioca. Clean the tapiocas and cut them into small pieces. Make sure that the fiber at the center portion of the tapioca is removed. 
• Add the tapioca pieces into the boiling water and let it cook. Do not close the vessel with a lid.
• Add 2 tsp of salt
• After 15 min, you may find them well cooked. 
• P.S. Make sure that you stay near while the tapioca is being cooked. Never let it over cook.
• Drain off the water from the vessel as soon as you find the tapioca cooked perfectly well.
• To the hot tapioca, add the ground coconut mix, a bit of salt if you find the tapioca needs any, curry leaves and a teaspoon of coconut oil
• with a large spatula, you may mash the cooked tapioca pieces with the coconut mix and salt 
• Serve hot with fish curry, mutton curry, chicken curry, beef curry or Simple Chutney made out of coconut gratings.
• Enjoy!!! 

Quick Chilly Eggs/Mutta

If you want to make a something quick for filling your tummies during evenings, quick egg/mutta masala will do the magic. This egg roast has little ingredients and you can make them in minutes.

P.S. Checkout the picturized version below.

Ingredients

·         Eggs- 4 nos

·         Red Chilly powder- ¼ tsp

·         Salt- ¼ tsp

·         Oil

Method

·         Take a pan

·         Heat it

·         Pour a tsp of oil

·         Add the red chilly powder and salt

·         Saute with a spoon for second or two

·         Add the eggs

·         Roll the eggs inside the pan

·         Serve hot

·         Enjoy!!

Kallappam or Vellayappam- The Traditional Christian Bread For Special Occassions

Kallappam or Vattayappam is a traditional bread variety of Kerala. Usually in Kallappam, toddy or coconut palm vine is used as the fermenting agent. You can even use yeast as the fermenting agent if you do not get Toddy for the same.

Today, Kallappam is not commonly made in homes, maybe because no one goes out in search of toddy ;) But you can try making it with yeast. No worries. And not to forget the fact that every five star hotel in Kerala makes sure that they provide Kallappam for breakfast.

Now it is your turn to check out the recipe for Kallappam/vattayappam.

Ingredients

·         Raw rice powder- 1 kg

·         Coconuts- 3 whole

·         Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

·         Toddy – 1 ¼ glass (If you make use of Yeast, take 1 ¼ tsp)

·         Sugar – 3 tbs

·         Salt – 1 tsp

Method

·         Add Raw rice powder in a large vessel

·         Add salt and 1 tbsp of sugar to it

·         Now add toddy to it and mix well

·         You will have to mix it well to form the perfect dough.

·         Allow it to rise. Keep it overnight.

·         Next morning, Grind the coconut with water and take out the coconut milk

·         Add the coconut milk to the dough to make it to a loose consistency

·         Add a pinch of soda powder to the batter

·         Add 2 tbs sugar and mix well

·         Allow it to rest for 10 min

·         After 10 min, take out a tava and heat the tava

·         Pour one  dessert spoon of dough to the tava and spread it with the spoon

·         Close the tava with a lid

·         Simmer and allow to cook for 2 min

·         Serve hot with potato curry, beef stew or mutton stew

·         Enjoy!!

Mutton Biriyani

This weekend was all about fun and excitement for me, as it was Eid season. The real reason behind my excitement was that I was visiting my Mom after a long time. As usual, I was expecting something special from her and this time too; she did succeed in making me something special that was a real treat to the taste buds.

Since this was Eid this week, she prepared a yummy Mutton biriyani for all of us. My mom is my Guru in Cooking. Hence I am very much aware of how she would prepare that tasty Mutton Biriyani which was served right in front of me. So here you are the recipe for Mutton Biriyani right for those who are interested in making one someday.

Ingredients

·         Basmati rice – 1 kg

·         Mutton – I kg

·         Onions – 4+2

·         Green chilies- 4

·         Tomatoes – 2 large

·         Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp

·         Khus Khus – 50 gms

·         Pepper – 2 tsp

·         Garam masala – 3 tsp

·         Cashew nuts – 100 gms + 50gms

·         Kismis - - 25 gms

·         Rambha leaves- 2

·         Pudina leaves – a bunch

·         Coriander leaves – a bunch

·         Salt

·         Ghee

·         Vegetable oil

Method

Step 1

·         Soak rice in water for 30 min

·         In a large pressure cooker, add ¾ water and boil

·         Add salt and spices

·         Add the soaked rice and cook

·         Strain the water and keep the rice aside

Step 2

·         In a mixer jar, add soaked khus khus, cashew nuts (100gm), pepper powder, Garam masala, Ginger garlic paste and grind well

Step 3

·         Heat a kadai and add ghee to it

·         Finely cut onions into long slices

·         Fry these onion slices in ghee until they turn golden brown

·         Remove them

·         Now fry cashews and keep aside

·         In the same oil, fry Kismis and keep aside

·         Now you may add in some amount of vegetable oil in the same kadai and sauté finely chopped onions (4 nos) along with green chilies

·         Add finely chopped rambha leaves and pudina leaves to it

·         Add the mutton pieces and add salt. Close the lid and cook well after adding one cup of water only

·         Now add the khus khus –cashew paste that was ground earlier, to the cooked mutton

·         PS: if you add the khus khus paste earlier, you will burn the curry

·         Allow the curry to boil and let the liquid dry up a bit

Step 4

·         Heat a large vessel and add some ghee to it

·         Add the cooked rice to the vessel

·         Now add the mutton curry on top

·         Mix well and garnish with fried onions, fried kismis and fried cashews

·         Serve hot with Raitha

White Chammandi or Vella Chammandi - The Best Accompaniment With Idly or Dosa

The best combination for Idly or Dosa when you are in a hurry would be a White Chammandi. Quick and easy curry that accompanies idly or dosa would always be chammandi. So making this simple side curry would save you loads of time that you take for making a sambar. You can even make the breakfasts for special occasions like Onam perfect with a sambar and chammandi combination with idly or dosa.

As for me, I love it during mornings when I prefer to eat something simple with Idlys. So checkout the recipe for White Chammandi and make you mornings special.

Ingredients

·         Coconut grating – 1 cup (For 4 people)

·         Shallots – 5

·         Udacha Kadala (Roasted Bengal gram- 1 tsp)

·         Salt

·         Oil

·         Curry leaves

Method

·         In a mixer jar, add all the ingredients except oil and curry leaves

·         Grind it to form a paste

·         Add water to give it a loose consistency

·         Remove the contents to a bowl

·         Take a pan and heat it

·         Add some oil

·         Crack mustard seeds

·         Add curry leaves

·         Pour it on top of the ground coconut paste

·         Serve with Idly or Dosa