cauliflower masala

Ingredients:

• cauliflower florets-30
• onion sliced-1
• cloves-2
• cinnamon-1 inch piece
• mustard seeds
• Yoghurt-4tbsp
• garam masala-1tsp
• chilly powder-1tbsp
• coriander powder-1tbsp
• oil-2tsp
• salt as per taste
• warm water-2cups
• turmeric powder-1tbsp
• coriander leaves

Preparation:

1. Take a large bowl and add warm water,1/2tbsp turmeric powder,a pinch of salt.
2. Add florets to this water and keep aside.
3. Heat a wide tawa and pour oil,and saute mustard seeds,cloves,cinnamon.
4. Add onion and fry till its golden.
5. Take out the florets from the water and add to the onion and fry for 2 mins.
6. Add 1/2tbsp turmeric powder,chilly powder,coriander powder,salt.
7. Close the tawa with a lid and cook it in that steam by stirring occassionally.
8. When the florets are cooked add yoghurt,salt and mix well.
9. Remove from the heat and add chopped coriander leaves.

paneer butter masala

Ingredients:

• Paneer-500 gms
• warm water-1 cup
• oil
• salt as per taste
• onion-2
• tomato-3
• cloves-3
• cinnamon 1 inch pieces-3
• red chilly powder-1tsp
• turmeric powder-1 tsp
• fenugreek powder-1tsp
• cashew nut-15

Preparation:

1. Cut the paneer to rectangular pieces and deep fry it in oil till its golden color.
2. Dip these fried paneers to warm water with 1/4 tsp turmeric and salt.
3. Now for the gravy grind the onion and tomato separately.
4. Fry the ground onion till its raw taste goes.
5. Add the tomato puree to it and stir well for 5 mins.
6. add chilly powder,turmeric powder,fenugreek powder,cloves,cinnamon and mix well.
7. grind cashewnut to a paste and add to the gravy with enough water,salt.
8. When it becomes a thick gravy reduce the heat and add fried paneer pieces.
9. mix well and remove from the heat. let it cool and add half half or cream.

paneer paratha

Ingredients:

• wheat flour-6tsp
• salt-1tsp
• warm water-1/2cup
• onion-1/2 chopped
• green chilly-2 chopped
• garam masala-1/2tsp
• grated paneer-250gm

Preparation:

1. Prepare a soft dough with wheat flour,1/2tsp salt,water.
2. In a wide pan heat oil fry onion,green chilly till golden brown.
3. Add garam masala,grated paneer,1/2 tsp salt and stir well for 5 mins.
4. Remove from the heat,when its cool make balls.
5. make balls from dough and keep masala ballas inside that and roll out carefully like chappathi.
6. Fry the parathas on both the sides in a dosa tawa .

cucumber raitha

Ingredients:

• Yogurt-5tsp
• cucumber grated-1/2 cup
• onion chopped-1/4 cup
• green chilly chopped-2
• boondhi-1/4 cup
• salt-1/2 tsp
• mint leaves chopped-4
• chopped coriander leaves-4

Preparation:

1. Mix all the ingredients together and if you like add 1/4 cup water.
2. serve it with rice.

pulisseri/yoghurt curry

Ingredients:

• Yogurt-5tsp
• water
• dry red chilly-3
• mustard seeds-1tsp
• fenugreek powder-1tsp
• turmeric powder-1tsp
• red chilly powder-1/4tsp
• cumin powder-1/2 tsp
• salt-1/2 tsp
• shallots-5 sliced
• oil-2tsp
• curry leaves

Preparation:

1. prepare butter milk from yogurt ,salt and water.If you are using buttermilk then dont add water.It should not be too watery.
2. In a deep bottom pan pour oil and saute mustard seeds,curry leaves dry chilly.
3. Add shallots and fry till its golden color.
4. Add turmeric,chilly powder,cumin,fenugreek and fry for 2 mins.
5. Switch off the heat,and pour buttermilk to it.Mix well,do not boil.

beetroot thoran

Ingredients:

• beetroot-1 peeled and grated.(I use hands to make small pieces.)
• grated coconut-1/2 cup
• cumin powder-1/2 tsp
• salt as per taste
• green chilly-3 chopped
• turmeric powder-1/2tsp
• onion-1/2 chopped
• mustard seeds-1tsp
• curry leaves
• oil-1tsp

Preparation:

1. heat the tawa and saute mustard seeds,curry leaves in oil.
2. add onion,beetroot,green chilly,salt,turmeric powder,cumin powder and stir well.
3. close the tawa with a lid,let it cook in that steam.
4. when its half cooked add grated coconut and stir well .
5. cook in steam and stir occassionally.
6. remove from the heat when its cooked.

sweet and spicy kozhukkatta

Ingredients:

• onion chopped-1/2
• green chilly-2
• mustard seeds-1tsp
• jaggery -1 cup
• grated coconut-1
• cardamom powder-1tsp
• warm water-1cup
• rice flour-2cup
• salt as per taste
• oil-1tsp
• mustard seeds-1tsp
• curry leaves

Preparation:

1. Pour oil in a heated tawa and saute mustard seeds,curry leaves.
2. add onion,green chilly and stir till its golden brown.
3. Prepare a soft dough with rice flour,salt,warm water and fried onions.
4. In another plate make a sweet mix with coconut,jaggery,cardamom.
5. Make small rice balls and fill sweet mix inside the balls.
6. steam the balls in an idli maker for 7 mins.
7. you can serve when it cools.
8. You can try the sweet version without the spicy onion part too.

peas stuffed puri

Ingredients:

• green peas-1 cup
• onion-1/2 chopped
• green chilly-1
• salt
• wheat flour-6tsp
• yoghurt-2tsp
• oil for deep fry
• water to make dough

Preparation:

1. prepare a soft dough with wheat flour,salt,yoghurt,water and keep it for 30 mins.
2. grind green peas and green chilly with just enough water.
3. Heat a deep bottom tawa and pour 1tsp oil,fry onion till its golden.
4. Add the ground mixture ,salt and stir well .
5. Cook untill you can make balls from that mixture.
6. keep balls inside the puri balls and roll out like parathas.
7. deep fry the puris in oil.

vegetable stew

Ingredients:

• green peas-1 handful
• potato-1
• beans-10
• tomato-1
• carrot-1
• onion-1
• cashewnut,raisins-1 handful
• cardamom-3
• coconut thin milk-1 cup
• coconut thick milk-1cup
• pepper-1tsp
• salt as per taste
• oil-2tsp
• mustard seeds
• curry leaves.

Preparation:

1. chop all the vegetables and onion.
2. pressure cook all the vegetables,onion,green peas,thin coconut milk,pepper for 1 whistle.
3. In a deep bottom pan heat oil and fry cashewnut,raisins.
4. Add cooked vegetables and thick milk,salt,cardamom.
5. when it becomes thick gravy remove from the heat.
6. saute mustard seeds,curry leaves and add to the curry.I prefer this curry with idiyappam.

idiappam/nool puttu/rice noodles

Ingredients:

• roasted rice flour-1 cup
• warm water-1 cup
• salt-1/2 tsp
• grated coconut-1/2 cup

Preparation:

1. mix the flour with warm water and salt to make a soft dough.
2. fill the idiyappam press with some dough.
3. Lightly grease the idly plate with oil and squeeze the dough onto the idli plates in a circular motion.
4. sprinkle 1/2 spoon of grated coconut on each idiappam.
5. Now place the idli plates in a steamer and steam it for 5 mins.Allow it to cool and take each idiyappam from the plates very carefully.
6. I prefer veg stew with this.If I am too lazy to prepare curry it ll go with sugar also.

green rice

Ingredients:

• par boiled/basmati rice-1 cup
• capsicum -1
• beans-10
• coriander leaves-15
• green chilly-2
• onion-1/2 chopped
• salt as per taste
• cloves-3
• cinnamon-2
• ginger,garlic crushed-1tsp
• oil-1tsp
• water to cook the rice and for grinding

Preparation:

1. cook the rice (75%)with salt,cloves,cardamom.
2. grind capsicum,green chilly,coriander leaves.
3. Heat oil in a wide tawa and fry onions till golden brown.
4. add ginger,garlic and stir well.
5. add chopped beans and fry for 5 mins.
6. add the ground mixture ,salt and cook for 5 mins in low heat.
7. when gravy thickens add rice and cook for 5 mins by closing with a lid.
8. You can serve this rice with some raitha.

vazhakka/raw banana bajji

Ingredients:

• raw banana-1
• rice flour-1 cup
• gram flour-1cup
• corn starch-3tsp
• jeera powder-1/2tsp
• chilly powder-1tsp
• asafoetida-1/2tsp
• salt-1tsp
• oil for deep frying

Preparation:

1. cut banana into thin slices longitudinally.I prefer with skin.
2. make a thick batter by mixing all the ingredients with enough water.
3. heat oil in a kadai.dip and coat each banana slice with the batter and deep fry in oil till its golden brown.

chicken with plantain thoran

Ingredients:

• 1breast cut to small cube pieces
• 1/2 plantain cut to the same size as chicken
• grated coconut-1 cup
• turmeric powder-1tsp
• chilly powder-1tsp
• coriander powder-1/2tsp
• jeera powder-1/2 tsp
• pepper powder-1/2tsp
• green chilly chopped-2
• garlic-ginger chopped-2tsp
• coriander leaves to garnish
• onion chopped-1
• oil-2tsp
• salt as per taste
• lemon-1tsp

Preparation:

1. marinate the chicken with turmeric powder,pepper powder,salt for 1 hr.
2. Pour oil in a wide tawa and fry onion till its golden.
3. add ginger-garlic,green chilly,and fry for 2 mins.
4. Add coconut,chilly powder,coriander powder,jeera powder and stir well for 3 mins.
5. Add marinated chicken ,plantain and stir well.
6. close the tawa with a lid and cook for 5 mins in medium heat.
7. add lemon and stir well, cook for 8 more mins by stirring occasionally.
8. add chopped coriander leaves and remove from the heat .

chicken capsicum dry

Ingredients:(for 2 people)

• chicken-1 breast cut to cube pieces
• capsicum-1 cut to small rectangular pieces
• egg-1
• chilly powder-1/2 tsp
• pepper powder-1/2tsp
• coriander powder-1tsp
• garam masala-1tsp
• turmeric powder-1tsp
• fenugreek powder-1tsp
• lemon-1tsp
• salt as per taste
• 1 onion chopped
• garlic,ginger crushed-2tsp
• olive oil-5tspmato
• 1 tomato chopped

Preparation:

1. Marinate the chicken with egg,salt,turmeric powder,pepper powder,fenugreek powder,lemon.
2. keep the chicken for atleast 1 hr in refrigerator.
3. fry onion in 1tsp oil till its golden brown.
4. Add ginger-garlic and fry for 2 mins.
5. add tomato and stir well.
6. add chilly powder,coriander powder and stir well.
7. add the marinated chicken with all the mixture.
8. stir well and cook for 10 mins by closing with a lid and stirring occasionally.
9. Add garam masala and stir well.
10. When the gravy thickens add 2 tsp oil and stir well to avoid burning
11. After 5 mins add capsicum and stir occasionally.
12. In low heat add 2tsp oil again after 5 mins and stir well till all the gravy dried and coated in chicken pieces.
13. When u get all the chicken pieces fried remove from the heat.

pudina rice/mint rice

Ingredients:

• rice -1cup
• pudina leaves-1 cup
• coriander leaves-10
• salt as per taste
• grated coconut-1/2 cup
• fried peanut-1/2 cup
• 1/2 onion chopped
• green chilly-2

Preparation:

1. Half cook the rice with 1/2 tsp salt.
2. Grind pudina ,coriander leaves,coconut,greenchilly with just enough water.
3. Pour oil in a wide tawa and fry onion till its golden brown.
4. Add peanuts and stir well.
5. Add ground mixture ,salt and fry for 3 mins.
6. add rice and mix well.cook the rice till its done.

nadan mutton curry

Ingredients:

• mutton/goat meat-1/2 kg
• 1 onion sliced
• chilly powder-1tsp
• turmeric powder-1tsp
• coriander powder-1 tsp
• salt-1tsp
• oil
• 1 tomato chopped
• garam masala-1tsp
• coconut milk-1cup

Preparation:

1. With 1 cup water pressure cook the mutton with 1/2 tsp each of turmeric,chilly,salt and 1/2 portion of onion.
2. Heat a deep bottom kadai and fry onion in 1 tsp oil till it becomes golden brown.
3. Add tomato and stir well for 3 mins.
4. Add rest of the chilly powder,turmeric powder and coriander powder and fry well for 2 mins.
5. Add half cooked mutton to this and stir well .
6. after 5 mins add garam masala,salt and cook with kadai closed.
7. Add coconut milk and boil it.remove from the heat when its thick.

Onam 2009 dishes

I really missed plantain leaves when I served my onam dishes.I had to adjust with 2 plates for 1 person.

My Onam feast include

1.Sambar

2.Avial

3.Inji curry

4.Injam puli

5.beetroot pachadi

6.Olan

7.cabbage thoran

8.kalan

9.ari murukku

10.andiunda

11.erisseri

12.rice

13.papad

14.vermicelli payasam

15.mango pickle