Cluster Beans Thoran

Ingredients:

• Cluster Beans/Kothavarakkai - 1/2 kg
• Grated/shredded coconut - Thuriviya thengai - 1/2 Cup
• Mustard - Kadugu - 1 tea spoon
• Salt/Suar to taste
• Oil for frying

Method:

1. Wash and peel off the skin from vegetables and boil it till it becomes soft.
2. Heat oil in a pan/kadai, splutter mustard seeds.
3. Add the grated coconut. Now add boiled vegetable to it. Add little salt and Sugar
4. . Mix them well.

Cluster Beans Thoran is ready to be served. Serve it with any rice varieties.

 

Chenai Mizhakkuparatti

Adapted from palakkadchamayal

Ingredients:-

• Chena/Elephant Yam – 500gm
• Onion - 1 Nicely chopped
• Salt to taste
• Chilly Powder – ½ tsp
• Curry Leaves – few
• Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
• Oil – 2 tbps

Method:-

Remove the skin of the yam and cut into small or medium sized cubes. 

Wash well.

Transfer the pieces into a vessel, toss with salt.

Pressure cook the pieces for one whistle.

This will ensure that pieces are cooked yet not mushy.

Once cooked, remove from cooker, and transfer to a wide plate, let it cool for a while.

Now heat a non stick kadai with oil, temper with mustard seeds. Then add asafoetida and curry leaves.

Now add the sliced onon and Fry till golden Brown

Now add the cooled yam pieces and mix gently. Add chilly powder at this stage and mix. Check for salt and add if required.

Let it get roasted well in the open kadai on a medium to low flame. Keep stirring once in a while without breaking the pieces. This may take anywhere between 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Notes:-

You can also parboil the yam pieces in a vessel with water. Take care that the pieces don’t turn too soft.

Vegatable Koott

This is a signature recepie of my Amma.. She makes it superbly!! this can be had as a Side dish for Chapathi as well as with Plain Rice. Now off to the recepie!!

Ingredients:-

• Mixed Vegetables - 1 1/2 Cup cubed into Small Pieces *
• Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp
• Salt - As needed

To Grind

• Coconut - 1/2 Cup
• Jeerakam - 1 Tsp
• Green Chilly - 2/3

To Temper:-

• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Mustard - 1 Tsp
• Urad Dal - 1 Tsp
• Curry Leaves - A Stick

Method:-

• Throw in the cubed veggies, with Turmeric Poder and Salt added into a cooker.
• Add 1/2 a cup of water and cook for 1 whistle.
• Grind to a smooth paste the items under "To Grind"
• Transfer the Grinded Pate into the cooked vegetables.
• Allow it to Boil.
• In aWok add the Items under "To Temper".
• Pour the seasoning over the Koott.
• Delicious Kott is Ready

Notes:-

I used Carrot,Beans,Beetroot,Onion,Green Peas.
You can use Potatoes,Capsicum,Cauliflower also.
If using Capsicum and Flower, No need to Cook them in Whistle.

Simply boil them in Water for 10 mts and Close the Lid of the Container, so that no steam is escaped.

Aloo Pepper Fry

A quick and a simple Side Dish.. Perfect for Lunch Boxes!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Aloo/Potatoes - 5-6(Medium)/ 3 (Large)
2. Salt -  As needed
3. Turmeric Powder - A pinch (Optional)
4. Pepper Powder - 1 Tbsp (Can be changed according to your needs)

To Temper:-

1. Oil- 2 Tsp
2. Mustard - 1 Tbsp
3. Curry Leaves - A few

Method:-

1. Cook the Potatoes and peel off the skin, Smash and keep it aside.
2. Heat a Wok, and add the Oil.
3. After the oil is heated, add the "To temper" items.
4. After the Sizzling sound subsides, add the Smashed Potatoes.
5. Allow it to Fry for low flaome for 2-3 Minutes,
6. Add the Turmeric Powder, Pepper Powder and Salt.
7. Keep it in Low flame and Fry for 12-15 Minutes till the whole gets fried.
8. Super deliciopus Pepper Aloo Stir Fry is Ready!!!

Beets Pulav

Adapted from Rakskitchen

Ingredients:-

• Basmathi Rice - 1 Cup
• Beetroot chopped - 1 medium/2 Small
• Green Peas - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 2 sliced thinly
• Garlic - 4-5 pods
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 Tbsp
• Malli Podi - 1 Tsp
• Turmeric Powder - A Pinch
• Thin Coconut Milk - 1 Cup
• Salt - As needed.
• Oil/Ghee - As needed

Method:-

• Soak basmati rice for atleast 1/2 hour.
• Heat a small pressure cooker with oil/ ghee, 
• Add thinly sliced onions and fry till transparent.
• Add garlic and fry for a minute in medium flame.
• Add beetroot and green peas.
• Add little salt and continue frying for 2 mins in medium flame. 
• Add turmeric, chilli powder and dhaniya powder and give it a fry.
• Add thin coconut milk and a cup of water.
• Bring to boil, add required salt and soaked basmati rice.
• Mix well. 
• Cook upto 2 whistles and 2 minutes in low flame.
• Garnish with coriander leaves

  

Scallion Thoran

Ingredients

• Spring Onion - 1 bundle
• Oil - 3 Tbsp
• Salt - as required

To Grind:-

• Green Chili - 1 no:
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup

To Temper:-

• Curry Leaves - 2-3 stems (finely chopped)
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Remove the base portion of the spring onion, wash and let the water to drain fully.
2. Finely chop spring onion.
3. Grind the items under “ To Grind” items without adding water
4. In a pan, heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds.
5. Add curry leaves, spring onion and saute for 2-3mins: in low flame.
6. Add coconut mix and salt and mix well.
7. Keep the lid closed and cook for 5-6 mins: in low flame stirring in between.
8. The Spring Onion Thoran is ready to be served with rice.

Aloo Capsicum

Aloo and capsicum.. Dishes amde useing them when had separately goes for a hevaenly dish. What if we combine them? So off goes the recepie:-
 
Ingredients:-

•  Aloo - 1/2 Kg diced into cube.
• Capsicum - 1 (Large)
• Turmeric Powder - As needed.
• Salt - As needed
• Oil - 2 Tbsp

To Temper:-

• Oil - 1 Tbsp.
• Mustard - 1 Tsp.
• Urad Dal - 1 Tsp

Method:-

• Throw in the Potatoes in a Vessel . Add water and allow it to Boil vigourously.
• Turn off the Gas, once the Potato is cooked.
• In a wok/Kadai, add in the To Temper items.
• Wait till the Mustard splutters.
• Add in the diced capsicum and saute till the raw smell goes off.
• Throw in the cubed potato,once the capsicum is cooked.
• Add the salt and turmeric powder.
• Add 1 Tbsp of oil and cover the wok.
• Lower the flame and fry for 10 mts.
• Again add the remaining Oil and saute till the whole turns Brown color.
• Spicy But simple Aloo Capsicum is ready!!!

Baby Aloo Toast

I had some Baby Aloo remaining in my Tray, which happens to be there after i made my Baby Aloo Biriyani. So i decided to make Baby Aloo  Toast as a side dish for Biriyani.

Ingredients:-

• Baby Aloo - 25
• Turmeric Powder - A Pinch
• Chilly Powder - 1 Tsp
• Oil - 2 Tbsp

Method:-

• Boil the Potatoes in Water until they are 3/4th cooked.
• Show the boiled potatoes in Running Tap Water, so that they do not turn Mushy.
• Take a wide Mouthed Vessel.
• Add the Turmeric Powder, Chilly Powder, and Oil. Mix them well. If needed 1 Tbsp of water can be added.
• Throw in the boiled potatoes to it.
• Give it a nice Turn, so that the masala fits well into the Potatoes.
• Leave it aisde like that for 1/2 to 1 Hour.
• Take a Kadai and pour 2 Tbsp of Oil.
• Throw in the Marinated Potatoes.
• Keep the stove in Low flame and switch off the stove, when the potatoes turn deep brown in color.

 

Cabbage Molakoottal

Molakootal is a popular Palakkad Iyer dish. It is basically vegetables and lentils simmered with ground coconut. Molakootals can be prepared using different vegetables. The most common ones being Ashgourd and Yam, or Keerai (Spinach). Molakootal is more like a kootu but a little more runnier. It is is well liked by kids as it is not spicy. Molakootal is one of my favorite kootans and I can have it with just some pickle. Usually it is served with either Pachadi or thogayal.

Ingredients:- 

1.      Cabbage – 4 Cups, finely chopped

2.      Pasi Paruppu/Split Yellow Moong Dal – ¼ cup

3.      Scraped Coconut – ½ cup

4.      Broken Urad Dal – 1 tsp

5.      Dry Red Chilly – 1

6.      Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

7.      Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

8.      Salt to taste

For Tempering

1.      Coconut oil/Any Refined Oil – 1 tsp

2.      Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp

3.      Curry Leaves – few

Method

1.      Pressure cook the dal,along with chopped cabbage, with salt and turmeric powder and about 2 cup of water.Mash lightly and keep aside..

2.      Heat a small frying pan with little oil, roast the urad dal and red chillies until the dal turns red. Take care not to burn the dal.

3.      Grind the coconut, fried urad dal, red chilly and cumin seeds into a smooth paste by adding little water.

4.      Add the ground coconut paste, to the cooked Dal-Cabbage and mix well. Add about a cup of water to adjust the consistency.

5.      Check for seasoning and let it start boiling.

6.      Remove from heat.

7.      Heat a frying pan with oil, temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the Molakootal.

Varatharach Kuzhambu

This Kuzhambu happens to be my Appa's and Hubby's favourite. Even i too like. It goes well with even Dosa/Idly. Now off to the recepie. My Amma and Athai makes this superbly. And now according to my Hubby, even i too fall into this category.!!!

Ingredients:-

• Onion – 3 or 4
• Potato – 2
• Tamarind – A lemon Size
• Salt – As needed

To Grind:-

• Thoor Dal – 2 Tbsp
• Urad Dal – 1 Tbsp
• Shallots – 5 or 6
• Curry Leaves – 2 Sticks
• Ellu – 2 Tbsp
• Scraped coconut – ½ Cup
• Red Chilly – 10/12

To Temper

• Mustard/Kaduk - 1 Tsp
• Oil - 1 Tsp

Method:-

• Immerse the tamarind in Water and make Tamarind Water (Puli Vellom).
• Transfer this to cooker and throw in the Onion and Potatoes.
• Keep this for 2 Whistles.
• In a Kadai, dry roast the ingredients till the coconut changes to Brown Color in the To Grind 
  section except Ellu.
  
  

   

  
  

  
  
• Wash the ellu nicely and keep it aside in a small siever so that rest of water oozes out.
• Transfer this ellu into a kadai and roast till the Bursting of Ellu stops.
  
             
  

  
• Grind to a nice paste the ellu and the rest of items.
• Open the Cooker and add this paste.
• Allow it to Boil vigorously
• Pour oil into a Fry Pan and add them to Temper Items.
• Pour the same into the Kootan.

Delicious Varatharach Kuzhambu is ready.

Mysore Rasam

What you’ll need

1. Tomatoes – 2
2. Thin Tamarind Extract – ¾ cup
3. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
4. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Water – 2 cup
7. Cooked and mashed Toor Dal – 1 tbsp
8. Powdered Jaggery – 1 tsp
9. Curry Leaves – few
10. Coriander Leaves – chopped 1 tbsp

To Roast and Grind

1. Toor Dal – 1 tbsp
2. Coriander Seeds – 1 Tbsp
3. Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
4. Dried Red chilly – 1 or 2
5. Black Peppercorns – 8 to 10
6. Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ tsp
7. Scraped Coconut – 1 tbsp

For tempering

1. Ghee – ½ tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp

Method

1. Grind the tomatoes and pour it into the vessel in which you are going to boil the rasam.
2. Add the tamarind extract to it.
3. Add turmeric powder, asafetida and salt to taste. Mix well. Add about 1.5 cups of water and start heating on low to medium flame.
4. In the meanwhile, roast all the items mentioned under “roast and grind” till a nice aroma arises and the toor dal and slightly changed color. Grind everything into a smooth paste using a little water.
5. Add this ground paste also to the simmering rasam. Mix well. Also add a tsp of jaggery.
6. Let everything simmer for about 15 minutes. Make sure you cook on low to medium flame if your keep it on high the rasam will boil very quickly and will boil over. You can add a ladle in the vessel while it is simmering to prevent the rasam from boiling over.
7. Add the remaining half cup of water to the cooked and mashed dal mix well and add it to the simmering rasam. Add chopped coriander and curry leaves. Remove from heat when rasam starts frothing. Do not boil.
8. Heat a small frying pan with ghee and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Pour this over the rasam close with lid and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
9. Serve hot with rice and some spicy potato curry.

 

Cabbage-Channa Thoran

Ingredients:

Cabbage – 3 cups shredded

Chickpeas / Channa / Konda kadalai-1 cup cooked

Chilli powder-1 tsp

Coriander powder / Malli Podi-1 tblspn

Garam Masala Powder-1 tsp

Cumin seeds / Jeerakam-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil-1 tblspn

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai. Add in cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

Add in cabbage and sauté for 5 mins.Add in salt,chilli powder,coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well.

Add in channa and pour ½ cup of water in and cover the pan with a lid.

Let this simmer for 20-25 mins or until everything is cooked.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Aloo Ki Subzi

Recipe Source: Tarla Dalal

Ingrediants:

Potato - 3 large cubed and boiled

Curd -1 cup

Gram Flour / Kadalai Mavu / Besan - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Coriander Powder / malli Podi -1 tblspn

Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder / Manjal podi -  1/2 tsp

Coriander Leaves / Cilantro for garnishing

Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

Oil - 3 tblspn

Mustard Seeds / Kaduku - 1tsp

Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam - 1tsp

Cinnamon / Pattai -1 small stick

Cloves / Krambu - 2

Nigella Seeds / Kalonji - 1 tsp

Fennel Seeds / Sombu / Saunf -1 tsp

Method:

Cook potatoes untill it is compltely cooked. Remove it and set aside.

In a mixing bowl add gram flour, curd, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and beat well..There should be no lumps. Set this aside for a moment.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add all the seasoning ingrediants in the given order starting from mustard seeds and let it fry for 30 sec.

Add in the gram flour mixture and brng it to boil. Season with salt and mix well.

Add in cooked potatoes and simmer this for 10-15 mins. Add more water if the gravy is too thick.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.

Aloo Channa Dry

Ingredients:-

 

Potato -  2 large cubed and cooked

Channa / Velai Konda kadalai / Chickpeas – 1 cups cooked

Tomato – 3 large pureed

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Black Pepper Powder – 1 tsp

Amchoor Powder / Dry Mango Powder – 2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi -1 tsp

Coriander Powder / Malli Podi -1 tblspn

Sugar – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Kasuri Methi Leaves / Dried Fenugreek Leaves – 1 tblspn

Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam – 1 tsp

Oil- 1 tblspn

Method:

Heat 1 tblspn oil in a kadai. Add cumin and allow it to splatter.

Add tomato puree and cook for 5 mins till it gets cooked.

Add in chilli, garam masala, coriander, amchoor, turmeric,pepper powders and mix well.

Add in salt and sugar and mix well. Add kasuri methi leaves and mix well.

Pour enough water and add cooked chana and potatoes and mix well.

Cover and cook on a very low heat for 15 mins till everything gets united.

Serve hot with rice or roti.