Varutharacha Sambhar

Ingredients:
 Toor dal:1/4 cup
Shallots:7 to 8(cut into halves)
Drumstick:1 (cut lengthwise)
Winter melon/vallerica:1 cup
Tomato:1 (cut lengthwise)
Carrot:1
Potato:1
Tamarind:1lemon sized
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder

For roasting:
Chana dal:1tspn
Urad dal:1/4 tspn
Shallot:1 no
Curry leaves
Asafoetida:1/4 tspn
Coriander seeds:3 tbsp
Dry red chillies:5 no:s
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Eastern sambhar powder:1tspn

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Curry leaves
Coconut oil:1tbsp
Dry red chillies:2 nos(broken)

Soak tamarind and keep aside.Cook dal  adding turmeric powder and enough water.Keep it aside.Cook the vegetables adding salt ,turmeric powder and little water.Once the vegetables are half cooked add tamarind extract and cook until done.Meanwhile heat 1 tspn oil in a pan and fry urad and chana dal.Add coriander seeds till it changes into slightly brown.Add coconut,curry leaves,shallot.Fry till the coconut turns brown.Add asafoetida and sambhar powder and switch of the flame but continue stirring.Cool and grind this to a paste adding adequate amount of water.Once the vegetables are fully cooked add the cooked dal and stir.Then add the roasted coconut paste and add adequate amount of water.Bring to boil.Remove from the stove and garnish with curry leaves.Season with mustard seeds,curry leaves and dry red chillies.Serve hot with rice,idli or dosa.

Fresh Mango Salsa

Ingredients
Fresh mango:1 large(diced)
Jalapenos:2 (seeds removed and dices)
Onion:1 small (finely diced)
Tomato:1 medium (diced)
Tomato ketchup:1/2 tspn
salt to taste
Lemon juice of 1/2 fresh lime
Finely chopped coriander leaves:1 tbsp

  Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep aside covering with a lid for half an hour before serving.

pottu kadala (roasted gram) and coconut chutney

Ingredients:
Roasted gram:1 handful
Grated coconut:3/4cup
Shallot:1
Salt to taste
Lemon juice/tamarind:According to taste
Green chilli:3 to 4
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seeds:1/2 tspn
Curry leaves
Dry red chilli:1 no

      Grind coconut and green chillies to a paste adding enough water.Then add roasted gram,shallots and salt to taste.Coarsely grind and transfer to a bowl.If you are using tamarind,add a small piece of tamarind while grinding or garnish with lemon juice.Season with mustard seeds,curry leaves and red chilli.Serve with dosa,idli or pongal.

Onion And TomatoChutney

Ingredients
Tomatoes:3 medium(diced)
Onion:1 1/2 medium
Oil:1tspn
Urad dal:1/2 tspn
Chana dal:1/2tspn
Dry red chilli:2 to 3
Curry leaves

Heat oil in a kadai and add urad dal,chana dal and curry leaves.Saute for some time.Then add onion and saute till it becomes translucent.Then add  diced tomato and saute till it gets cooked.Switch of the flame and keep for cooling.Grind to a paste.Serve with idli.

Chow Chow Thoran

Chow Chow:2(cut into small pieces)
Oil:2 tspn
Mustard seeds:1/2 tspn
Urad dal:1/2 tspn
Dry red chilli:2
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Chilli powder:1/4 tspn
Salt to taste
Grated coconut:1/4 cup
Curry leaves

Heat oil in a pan and sputter mustard seeds.Add Urad dal,curry leaves and red chillies.Saute for some time and then add cut chow chow.Add turmeric powder and salt to taste.Cover with lid and cook until done.Add coconut once done and remove from flame.Garnish with curry leaves.Chow Chow thoran is ready to serve.

Manga Perukku/Pachadi

Ingredients:
Mango:1 (diced)
Salt to taste
Coconut:1/2 cup
Dry redd chilli:2
Mustatd seeds:2 tspn
Curry leaves
Oil:1 tspn

Crush the diced mango in a mixer grinder.Saute the red chillies in oil for 1 minute.Grind the coconut,sauteed red chilli and mustard seeds to a paste adding little amount of water.Mix the crushed mango  and coconut paste.Add salt to taste and combine well.Season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.Serve as a side dish for rice.

White Chana (chick peas) Curry

 White chana:1 cup (washed and soaked overnight)
Onion:1 medium (sliced)
Salt to taste
Oil:2 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Tomato:1 medium (chopped)
Chilli powder: 1 tspn(according to taste)
Corriander leaves
Curry leaves

Pressure cook the soaked chana with onion and salt to taste.Keep it aside.Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.Then add chopped tomato.Saute for some time.Then add chilli powder.When the tomato gets cooked, add cooked chana and add adequate amount of water.Bring to boil.Garnish with coriander and curry leaves.Serve hot with chappathi or poori.

Capsicum Rice

Ingredients:
Capsicum:3(diced)
Basmati rice:1 cup
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Coriander seeds:1 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Dry red chillies:3 (according to taste)
Curry leaves
Roasted peanuts:1 tbspn
Oil/butter:1 tbsp

Cook rice adding salt to taste and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan and fry mustard seeds,coriander seeds,cumin seeds and dry red chillies till raw smell goes.Then add roasted peanuts ,saute for some more time.Grind coarsely when it is cooled.Again heat oil and add curry leaves and then add capsicum to it.Add salt to taste.Fry till it is cooked.Do not overcook.Then add the powdered masala and saute for some more  time.Add cooked rice and combine them well.Serve hot.

Vegitable Kurma

Green peas:1/4 cup(Washed and soaked overnight)
Oil:2 tbsp
Cinnamon:1 inch stick
Clove:2 to 3
Fennel seeds:1/2 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/4 tspn
Onion:1 medium(chopped)
Ginger garlic paste:1 tbsp
Tomato:1 medium(chopped)
Potato:1 diced
Carrot :1 diced
Green beans:4 to 5
Green chilli:2 no
Coriander powder:1 tspn
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Garam masala:1/4 tspn
Pepper powder:1/4 tspn
Turmeric powder:1 pinch
Salt to taste
Coconut milk:3/4 cup
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Heat oil in a pressure cooker.Add cinnamon stick,clove,fennel and cumin.Saute for few seconds and then add onion..Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off.Then add tomato and green peas.Cook keeping it covered, for five minutes.Add carrot,potato,beans and green chilly.Add all the powders and salt to taste.Saute for some time and then add adequate amount of water.Cover with the lid and pressure cook till a whistle comes.Remove the lid after the pressure fully goes off.Add coconut milk and bring to boil.Immediately switch off the flame and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.Add 1 tspn coconut oil (optional).Serve hot with chappathi.

Carrot Thoran

Ingredients:
Carrot:3 (finely chopped)
Onion:1/2 (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Split urad dal:1 tspn
Dry red chilli:2(broken into halves)
Curry leaves
Grated coconut:1/4 cup

  Heat oil in a pan.Pop mustard seeds and add urad dal,red chillies and curry leaves.Add chopped carrot and onion.Add salt to taste and turmeric powder.Cover with a lid and cook until done.Stir occasionally.Once cooked,add grated coconut and mix well.Remove from the flame and serve as a side dish for rice.

Uzhunnu Vada

Ingredients:
Urad dal:1 cup(soaked for 3 to 4 hours)
salt to taste
Onion:1 medium(finely chopped)
Green chilli:2 to 3(chopped)
Curry leaves
whole pepper:2 tspn
Sooji rava:1 handfull
Oil for deep frying

Grind urad dal to a thick paste adding salt and little amount of water.Add chopped onions,green chilli,curry leaves,whole pepper and rava (for crispiness) to the ground paste and mix well.Make it into desired shape and deep fry in oil.(Wet your hands with water to avoid sticking while shaping it).Fry till slightly brown.Take the vadas from oil and remove excess oil with tissue paper.Serve hot with chutney.

Dal and methi(fenugreek leaves) curry

Ingredients:
Toor dal/Moong dal:1 cup
Methi:1 bunch
Onion:1 (chopped)
Garlic:4 to 5 pods(sliced)
Tomato:2 (chopped)
Oil:2 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Fenugreek seeds:1/2 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Sambhar powder:1/2 tspn
Coriander leaves

Heat oil in a pressure cooker  and add mustard seeds.After it pops add fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Saute for 10 seconds and add chopped onion and garlic.Once onion changes color add chopped tomatoes and saute.Then add dal,add turmeric powder,salt to taste,chilli powder and sambhar powder.Saute till raw smell of the powder goes off.Add dal and adequate amount of water and close with the lid and cook until 1 whistle comes.Switch off the flame.Remove the lid when the pressure fully goes off and add previously cleaned methi leaves to it.Cook until done.Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve with rice.

Zucchini Soup

Zucchini:1 (diced)
Onion:1(chopped)
Potato:1 (peeled and diced)
Chicken broth/vegetable broth :2 cups
Butter:1/4th of a stick
Italian seasoning:1/2 spoon
Salt to taste
Ground pepper:1/4 tspn

In a pressure cooker melt butter and saute onion in it.Add diced potato and zucchini and saute for some time.Add chicken broth cover with the lid and pressure cook till one whistle comes.When cooled puree it in a blender in batches.Transfer it to a cooking pot and bring to boil.Add water according to the consistency.Season with italian seasoning.Serve hot.

Nadan vallerika pullisery

Ingredients:

• Cucumber/vallerikka 1 no:
• Turmeric powder a pinch
• Salt required
• Dry red chilly/green chilly 2 no:s (depends on the spiciness required)
• Grated coconut ½ cup
• Cumin seed ¼ tsp
• Yogurt/curd(mesure according to the soreness required)

Seasoning:

• Mustard 1tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds ¼ tbsp
• Curry leaves 4 to 5 no:s
• Oil 4 tbsp
• Red chilly 2 no:s

Cut cucumber into small pieces and cook with turmeric powder and salt. Cook until it can be mashed and mash some pieces. Grind coconut, cumin, red chilly, with yogurt into a paste. Add to cooked cucumber and cook for 2 minutes. Take off from the stove. Heat oil for seasoning. Sputter the mustard and add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and red chilly. Add this seasoning to pullisery.

Egg Kurma

Eggs:3 hard boiled
Onions:2 ( finely chopped)
Tomato:1 (chopped)
Ginger garlic paste:1 tbsp
Green chilli: 2 
Cinnamon stick:1/2 inch
Cloves:2 to 3
Cardamom skin:1
Fennel seeds:1/2 tspn
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Coriander powder:1 tspn
Garam masala:1/2 tspn
Chilli powder:1/4 tspn
Pepper powder:1/2 tspn
salt to taste
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Grind coconut and cumin seeds together to a paste and keep aside.Heat oil and put cinnamon stick,cloves,cardamom,fennel seeds and saute for some time.Add onions and ginger garlic paste,curry leaves and fry till onion turns slightly brown.Add chopped tomatoes and green chillies..To that add coriander powder ,turmeric powder,garam masala,chilli powder,pepper powder and salt to taste.Cook untii tomatoes are done.Add the ground paste and add adequate amount of water for gravy.Cook till the gravy becomes thick.Add eggs and simmer for few more minutes.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Rava Kesari

Ingredients:
Sooji :1 cup
Sugar:1 cup
Butter:1/2 stick
Water:2 1/2 cups
Kesari color:a pinch(optional)

Heat 1 inch of butter and fry broken cashews and raisins.Put rava and fry till it becomes slightly brown.Meanwhile boil water in another vessel and add kesari color to it.Add the water to roasted  rava.Let the rava cook in medium flame.When rava gets cooked add sugar.Keep stirring.Add the remaining butter and fry till the rava comes out from the sides without sticking.Pour into a greased plate and cut into desired shape or serve as such.

Cherupayar kayi moloshiyam

Ingredients:
Green gram:3/4 cup
Plaintain:1(cut into cubes)
Pepper powder:1tspn
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Grated coconut:3/4 cup
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Red chilli:1(optional)
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tsp
urad dal:1 tspn
Curry leaves

Soak green gram overnight.Pressure cook green gram and plaintain together adding turmeric powder,salt to taste and pepper powder.Grind coconut,red chilli(saute green chilli in oil for few seconds) and cumin seeds, to a paste.Add this paste to cooked green gram and add adequate amount of  water.Bring to boil.Season with mustard seeds,urad dal and curry leaves.Serve with hot rice.

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
Ripe bananas:2
Brown sugar:3/4 cup(or according to sweetness)
All purpose flour:1 cup
Butter:1/2 stick
Eggs:2
Baking powder:1 tspn
Vanilla Essence:1 tspn
Salt:a pinch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Mix sugar and butter and add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.Keep it aside.Mash the bananas well.Mix with the egg,butter mixture and add vanilla essence and salt..keep aside.Sift the flour and baking powder so that they get mixed well.Add this dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold the mixture until they all get mixed well.Pour the batter to a greased loaf pan and pop into the oven.Bake until when a fork inserted into the middle comes out clean.Cool it and remove the bread from the pan.Let the bread cool completely before slicing.Banana bread is ready to serve.

Chicken Kurma

Ingredients:
Chicken:1 kg
Oil:2 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Curry leaves
Onion:2 large(chopped)
Tomato:2 medium(chopped)
Ginger garlic paste:1 tbsp
Cloves:4 to 5
Cinnamon stick:2 sticks(1/2 inch)
Cardamom skins:2
Fennel seeds:1/2 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Green chilli:2
turmeric powder:a pinch
Pepper powder:1 tspn
Coriander powder:2 tspn
Garam masala:1 tspn
Chilli powder:1/2  tspn
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves:1/2 cup(chopped)

For grinding:
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Cashews:1/4 cup

 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed cooking vessel.Sputter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.Add cloves,cinnamon stick,fennel,cardamom skins and cumin seeds.Add chopped onion and saute for some time.Add ginger garlic paste.Meanwhile grind coconut and cashews together to a paste.Once onion turns slightly brown ,add the ground paste and turmeric powder.Bring to boil and simmer the flame.Add coriander powder,garam masala,pepper powder,chilli powder, and salt to taste.Saute till raw smell goes off and then add cut chicken.Cook in low flame.Stir occasionally.Once the chicken gets cooked remove from flame and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Mango Ice cream

Find the recipe here.I made this icecream using the same recipe and it turned out to be a hit.

Sweet Boondi

Ingrediants:
Besan(gram flour):1 cup
Sugar:3/4 cup
Cardamom powder:1/2 tspn
Oil for frying

Make a paste of besan using water.Check the consistency of the batter by pouring it through a perforated spoon.The batter should pour down as small droplets.If it is not,then add more water.Do not make the batter very thin.To make sugar syrup,Take sugar in a vessel and pour 1 cup water and bring to boil.Simmer the flame and keep it on the stove as such,till the syrup becomes thick.Keep it aside.Heat oil in a deep pan and pour the besan batter through the perforated spoon ,holding the spoon a little above the hot oil.Stir the boondis gently until it becomes crispy.Take out the boondis and remove the excess oil using tissue paper.Once it gets cooled,add to the syrup and keep it in the syrup for 5 minutes.Take the boondis out of the syrup and spread on a plate.Add cardamom powder and mix well.Allow to cool completely.Boondis are ready to serve.

Badam (Almond) Cake

Ingredients:
Badam:1 cup
Powdered sugar:3/4 cup
Ghee:2 tbsp
Milk:1/4 cup
Cardamom powder:1/2 tspn

Soak and peel badam (almonds).Grind in mixer grinder into a paste,using milk.Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and add the ground mixture.Stir for sometime.Add powdered sugar and cardamom powder.Keep in medium flame and stir continuously.The mixture starts to thicken and when it starts leaving the sides without sticking,transfer the mixture into a greased plate and spread evenly.Once the mixture becomes warm,cut into desired shapes.Badam burfi or cake is ready to serve.

Mampayar Mathan Erissery

Ingredients:
Mampayar:1/2 cup
Pumpkin(Mathan):1 cup (cut into cubes)
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Cumin seeds:1 tspn
Garlic:1 pod
Red chilli:3 nos
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tsp
Urad dal:1 tspn
Curry leaves

Soak mampayar overnight.Pressure cook it adding salt,and some water.In a deep pan,heat oil and sputter mustard seeds. Add urad dal and curry leaves and saute for some time.Add cut pumpkin and
turmeric powder and little amount of water.Cover it and cook until done.Add the cooked mampayar.Meanwhile grind coconut,cumin seeds,garlic and red chilli(fry red chilli in 1 tspn oil for 2 minutes) to a paste.Add the paste to the mampayar and add adequate amount of water.Remove from stove.Garnish with curry leaves.Serve hot with rice.

Mampayaru Thoran

Ingredients:
Mampayar:1 cup(wash and soaked overnight)
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Onion:1/2 of large onion(chopped)
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seed:1 tspn
Urad dal:1 tspn
Curry leaves
Red chillies:2(broken)
Grated coconut:1/4 cup

 Drain off the water from the soaked mampayar and pressure cook it adding turmeric powder,salt to taste and little amount of water.Heat oil in a pan,sputter mustard seeds,add curry leaves,red chilli and urad dal,and then add chopped onion.Once onion turns transluscent add the cooked mampayar.Saute and evaporate the excess water and make it dry.Add grated coconut,saute for some more minutes and remove from the stove.Serve with rice or kanhi.

Pavaikka Puli kuzhambu

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd:1 large
Curd:1/4 cup
Small onions:12
Garlic:5 to 6 pods
Green chilli:2(slit lengthwise)
Turmeric powder
Coriander powder:2 tspn
Chilli powder:1tspn
Sambhar powder:1 tspn
Tamarind:According to soreness
Jaggery:1 small piece
Salt to taste
Gingelly oil:2 tbs
Mustard seed:1 tsp
Cumin seed:1 tspn
Fenugreek seed:1/4 tspn
Curry leaves

Soak tamarind in water and bitter gourd in curd (to reduce bitterness) and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan.Sputter mustard seeds and add curry leaves,fenugreek seed and cumin seeds.Then add onion and garlic and saute for some time.Add bitter gourd and again saute for sometime.Simmer the flame and keep it as such till bitter gourd gets cooked well.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder,sambhar powder ,salt to taste and fry till raw smell goes off.Mix tamarind extract in 3 cups of water and add.Bring to boil and keep in low flame till the gravy becomes thick.Add small piece jaggery and cook for few more minutes.Serve hot with rice.

Beetroot leaves Thoran

Ingredients:
Beetroot leaves: one bunch
Onion: 1 medium (chopped)
Green chillies:2 no
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seed:1 tspn
Urad dal:1tspn
Curry leaves

Heat oil in a pan.Sputter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves and urad dal.Add the beetroot which should be cleaned thoroughly and cut into very small.Add chopped onion and split green chillies.Add turmeric powder and salt to taste.Saute for some time.Keep in law flame covering with lid until done.Do not forget to give a stir occasionally.Switch of the flame once done and add grated coconut.Mix well.Serve with rice.

Sambhar

Ingredients:
Toor dal:1/4 glass
Onion:1 medium(sliced)
Tomato:1 medium
Brinjal:1 no
Potato:1 large
Carrot:1 medium
Tamarind:lemon size
 Salt to taste
Eastern sambhar powder:2 1/2 tspn
Oil:2 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Pressure cook toor dal with turmeric powder,salt and 1 tspn oil.Do not overcook.Keep it aside.Soak tamarind and keep aside.Cut vegetable into medium sized.Cook the vegetables adding the tamarind extract,turmeric powder and salt to taste.Once cooked,add to cooked dal and mix.Add eastern masala powder (u can also first mix the masala powder in water and then add to avoid lumps). Add adequate water and bring to boil.Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.Sputter mustard seeds in oil and then add curry leaves and cumin seeds to it and season the curry with it.Serve hot with rice,idli,dosa etc.

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients:
Beetroot:1 no(diced)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch

For grinding:
Grated coconut:1/2 cup
Green chilli :2 no
Curd:3/4 cup(according to soreness)
Mustard seeds:1/2 tspn

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds:1/2 tspn
Curry leaves
Red chilli:1 to 2
Oil:1 tspn

 Pressure cook the diced beetroot with turmeric powder and salt.Coarsely grind it and keep aside.Grind coconut,green chilli and curd to a fine paste.Add mustard seeds and again grind.Add this paste to coarsely ground beetroot.Sputter mustard seeds in oil and add red chillies and curry leaves and season.Serve as a side dish for rice.

Aviyal without curd

Ingredients:
Plaintain:1 no
Carrots:1 no
Onion:1/2 of medium sized
Beans:4 to 5 no
Ash gourd:1/2 cup
Tindora: 6 to 7
Tomato:1no
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Green chillies:2 no
Coconut oil:1 tspn
Curry leaves

For grinding:
Grated coconut :1 cup
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn

Wash and cut the vegetables 1 1/2 inch lengthwise and 1/2 inch thickness and keep aside.Heat oil in a deep pan and put all the vegetables,green chillies,curry leaves,turmeric powder and saute for sometime.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder and salt to taste.Saute again for 2 minutes.Add 1/4 cup water and cook the vegetables until done covering with a lid.Meanwhile grind coconut and cumin seeds coarsely.Add to the vegetables once they get cooked.Keep in high flame till it becomes dry.Garnish with curry leaves.

Paneer Peas Masala

Ingredients:
Paneer:1 cup(cubed)
Cooked green peas:1/2 cup
Oil:2 tspn
Ginger:1 inch
Garlic:3 to 4 pods
Onion:2 medium
Tomato:1 big
Green chilli:2 nos
Cinnamon:1 inch
Cloves:2 nos
Cumin seeds:1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder:1 tspn
Coriander powder:1 tspn
Chilli powder:1 tspn
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Cream/evaporated milk:1/2 cup(optional)
Butter:1 inch stick

Heat oil in pan and pop ginger,garlic,and chopped onions.Fry until onion changes into slightly brown.Add tomato and cook until done.Remove from flame and keep it aside for cooling.Grind it into a paste.Again heat 1 tspn oil and fry cinnamon,clove,jeera and then add the onion-tomato paste.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder,garam masala,coriander powder and salt to taste.Let it boil  and keep it in low flame for 5 minutes.Add cooked peas and paneer.Stir gently.Keep for some more time and then add cream.Remove from the flame.Add butter and again stir gently.Serve hot with chappathi.

Arikadukka

Ingredients:
Mussels:6 to 8(i used frozen mussels without shell)
Brown rice:1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Coconut:1/2 cup
Shallots:3 to 4
Cumin seeds:1/2 tspn
Oil:3 tbsp

To marinate:
Chilli powder:1 tspn
Turmeric powder:a pinch
salt :1/4 tspn
Fennel seeds:1/4 tspn
Rice flour:2 tbsp

Soak brown rice adding enough water.Add coconut,shallots and cumin seeds into the mixer and grind for some more time.The batter should be of dosa batter consistency.Transfer to a pan.Add salt.Heat the pan and stir the batter till it becomes thick  enough to make balls out of it.Remove from the flame and keep it aside.When it gets cooled roll into even sized oval shaped balls and stuff the mussels in each balls and steam cook until done.keep it aside for cooling.Meanwhile make a paste with the ingredients for marinating using water.Coat the balls evenly with paste and keep it for half an hour.Heat oil in a flat non-stick pan and fry them.Arikadukka is ready to serve as an evening time snack.

Healthy and simple kozhukatta with brown rice

Ingredients:
Brown rice:2 cups
Grated Coconut:1 cup
Salt to taste

Soak brown rice overnight.Grind it coarsely adding enough water (dosa batter consistency).Transfer it into a cooking pan.Add coconut and salt to taste.Heat the pan and stir the batter continuously.Cook till the batter becomes thick to make it into balls.Remove from the pan and keep aside for cooling.Once the thick batter gets cooled make into medium sized balls and steam cook until done.It will be sticky while hot but the stickiness after sometime.Serve with onion chutney.


ONION CHUTNEY
Ingredients:
Onion:2 medium sized(sliced)
Red chilli:2 to 3
Tamarind:small piece
Salt to taste
Oil

Heat oil in a pan.Add the sliced onion.Saute till it becomes slightly brown.Add salt to taste,red chillies and tamarind and saute for some time.Remove from the stove and let it cool.Grind it coarsely or into a paste as desired.Onion chutney is ready to be served with kozhukatta.

Vazhudananga (Eggplant) Pulincurry

Ingredients:
Egg plant:1/2 of one large size(diced)
Onion:1 medium(sliced)
Garlic:3 to 4 pods (sliced)
Tamarind:gooseberry size
Turmeric powder
Green chillie:2
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Coriander powder:1 tbsp
Sambhar powder:1/4 tspn
Salt to taste
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard Seeds:1 tspn
Fenugreek seeds
Coconut milk:1/2 cup
Curry leaves

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water.Heat oil in a pan and sputter mustard seeds.Add fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.Add sliced onion and garlic and saute till onion gets cooked.Add diced eggplant and green chillies.Then add all the powders and salt to taste.Saute for sometime and pour tamarind water.Add more water if needed.Bring to boil and simmer the flame and keep for sometime closed with a lid.Add coconut milk once the eggplant is done.Remove from the flame and garnish with curry leaves.Serve with rice.

Vegetable Cutlet

Ingredients:
Potato:2 large size
Beetroot:1 large size
Carrot:2
Green peas:1/4 cup
Onion:1 medium sized(chopped)
Ginger Garlic paste:1 tbspn
Green chilli:3 to 4 (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Garam masala powder:1/2 tspn
Eastern chicken masala:1/2 tspn
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves (chopped)
Egg whites of 2 eggs
Bread slices:6 to 7
Oil for shallow frying

Wash the potatoes well and pressure cook them.Peel off the potato skin and mash it very well.Keep it aside.Peel off the beetroot and carrot skin and wash thoroughly.Dice it and grate it using mixer grinder (just to make it into very small pieces.i used blender because that was easier).Keep it aside.Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion and ginger garlic paste until it changes color.Add the veggies(beetroot,carrot and green piece).Add green chilli,garam masala,chilli powder,turmeric powder,chicken masala and salt to taste.Keep it in medium flame until the veggies get cooked.Stir frequently.Once the veggies get cooked add the mashed potatoes and mix everything well.Add the chopped coriander leaves.Switch off the flame and keep it  aside.Cut the bread slices into small pieces and powder it using mixer.(caution:dry the mixer well).Transfer the powdered bread to a plate and keep aside.When the veggie mixture gets cooled,make it into balls of almost same size.Gently press using palms to make it flat.Dip it in the egg white (You can use maida batter(dosa batter consistency) instead of egg white) and then coat both the sides with the powdered bread.Repeat the same with the remaining balls.Heat oil in a flat non-stick pan and when oil gets heated up fry the bread coated veggie mixture until brown.Use tissue paper to remove excess oil from the cutlet.Serve with tomato ketchup.

Pineapple Pullissery

Ingredients:
Pineapple:1/2 of a pineapple(diced)
Turmeric Powder: a pinch
Salt to taste
Red chilli:3 to 4
Coconut:1/2 cup
Cumin seeds:1/4 tspn
Oil:1 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tspn
Curry leaves

Wash and dice pineapple.Pressure cook the diced pineapple with turmeric powder and salt adding 1/2 cup water.Meanwhile saute fry the red chillies in 1/4 tspn oil.Grind coconut,fried red chillies and cumin seeds into a fine paste.Add this paste to the cooked pineapple.Bring to boil.Add water for required consistency.Season with mustard seed,fenugreek seeds and curry leaves frying in oil.Serve hot with rice.

Chicken Liver Fry

Ingredients:

For grinding:
Shallots:10 to 12
Garlic:5 to 6 pods
Ginger:1 inch
Red chilli:2 to 3

For frying
Chicken liver:1/2 kg
Coriander powder:3/4 tbsp
Pepper powder:2 tspn
Garam masala powder:1 tspn
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tspn
Salt to taste
Oil:2 tbsp
Curry leaves

Wash the chicken liver thoroughly with water.Add little bit turmeric powder while washing.Drain off the water completely.Heat oil in a pan and add all the ingredients for grinding and saute for five minutes.Keep it aside and once it is cooled ,grind it coarsely without adding water.Again heat oil in a pan and add the coarsely ground mixture and curry leaves.Then add the cleaned liver.Add turmeric powder,coriander powder,pepper powder,garam masala powder and salt to  taste.Fry till the raw smell goes off.Add 3/4 cup water and cook until the liver is cooked well and becomes dry.Chicken liver fry is ready to serve.

Gobi Manchurian

Ingredients:

Cauliflower:1 medium
All purpose flour:3/4 cup
Corn flour:1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Chilli powder:1tspn
Oil for frying Cauliflower
Ginger:1 tbspn(chopped)
Garlic:1 tbspn(chopped)
Green chilli:2 to 3(chopped)
Onion: 1big(chopped)
Bell pepper:1 (chopped)
Spring onion:1/2 cup(chopped)
Soya sauce:2 tbsp
Chilli sauce:1 tspn
Tomato ketchup:2 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves

Make a paste of all purpose flour and corn flour using water.Add 1/4 tsp of ginger garlic paste,chilli powder and salt to taste.Wash cauliflower well and separate the  florets.Heat oil in a deep pan for frying the florets.Dip the florets in the paste and deep fry till golden brown and crispy.Keep it aside.Heat 2 tspn oil in another pan.Add chopped onion,ginger-garlic and green chilli.When onion turns slightly yellow color add chopped bell pepper and spring onion.Saute for few minutes and then add the fried gobi florets.Add soya sauce,chilli sauce and tomato ketchup.Mix well and keep in low flame for 10 minutes.Keep stirring.Garnish with coriander leaves.Gobi manchurian is ready to serve.

Chilli Porotta

Ingredients:
Porottas(frozen):3 to 4
Oil:1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paster:1 tspn
Onion::1 medium sliced
Bell pepper:1/2 sliced
Tomato:1 medium sliced
Tomato ketchup:1 tbsp
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Salt to taste
Chilli powder:1tspn
Coriander powder:1/2 tspn
Garam masala powder:1/2 tspn

Defrost the porottas using microwave.Cut the porottas into 2 inch pieces.Keep it aside.Heat oil in  a pan.Add the sliced onions and ginger garlic paste.Saute till onion gets cooked.Add sliced tomato and bell pepper.Add turmeric powder,chilli powder,garam masala,coriander powder,tomato ketchup and salt to taste.Add 1 or 2 tbspn water.Then add the porotta pieces and toss well so that it get mixed well with the masala.Cook until dry.Chilli porotta is ready to go. 

Enna Kathrika

Ingredients:
Oil:3 tbsp

Mustard seeds:1 tsp
Curry leaves
Garlic:2 pods sliced
Brinjals(kathrika):5 to 6
Tamarind:Lemon size
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Jaggery:1 tsp


To make powder:
Urad dal:2 tsp
Toor dal:2tsp
Kadala parippu:2tsp
fenugreek seeds:1/4 tsp
Dry red chillies:6 to 7
Coriander powder:2 tsp
Salt:1 tsp
Oil:1 tsp

Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan and fry all ingredients for powder except salt.Fry till brown and remove from heat.Grind it to powder when it gets cooled adding salt.Wash the the brinjals and slit into four from the base almost upto the stalks.Stuff the brinjal with enough powder and keep aside the remaining powder.Heat oil in the same pan and sputter the mustard seeds and add curry leaves.Add the stuffed brinjal and when it is half cooked add the remaining spice powder, tamarind water and jaggery.Bring to boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or till the brinjals are fully cooked.Remove from heat and serve hot with rice.

Mulapicha Cherupayar (Sprouted green gram) Thoran

Ingredients:
Cherupayar(green gram):1 cup
 Onion:1/2 (medium)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Green chilli:2 no:s
 Coconut:1/4 cup
Mustard:1tspn
Urad dal:1 tspn
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch

Wash and soak cherupayar overnight.Drain off the water and keep it closed for 8 hrs or till it sprouts.Wash again and pressure cook.Be careful not to overcook the green gram.Heat oil in a pan and sputter mustard seeds and add curry leaves and urad dal.Add onion and saute for sometime till it becomes soft.Add the cooked sprouted green gram.Keep on the stove top till the water gets evaporated.Remove from the flame and add coconut.Serve as side dish for rice.

Fish Podimas

Ingredients:
Fish:2 fillets
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder:a pinch
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Water:1/2 cup
Onion:1 large(chopped)
Tomato:1 medium(chopped)
Chopped ginger:1 tspn
Chopped garlic:1 tspn
Green chilli (chopped):2 no
Cloves:2 no
Cinnamon:1/2 inch stick
Coriander powder:1 tspn
Chilli powder:1/2 tspn
Oil:2 tspn
Mustard seeds:1 tspn
Cumin:1 tspn
Curry leaves
Grated coconut:1/2 cup

Cut the fish into cubes.Marinate the fish pieces with turmeric powder,chilli powder,salt for 15 minutes.Cook this marinated fish in 1/2 cup water until water gets evaporated and fish is done.Heat oil in another pan and sputter mustard seeds.Add cumin and curry leaves.Saute for 30 seconds and add cinnamon,clove,ginger,garlic,green chilli.Saute for some time and add chopped onion.Fry until brown and add tomato.Add coriander powder and chilli powder.Saute until tomato is cooked and then add the cooked fish.Add grated coconut and mix well.Remove from the flame.Serve hot with rice or chappathi.