Vishu Kanji

Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1 cup
Coconut milk - from 1 coconut
:- first extract - 1 cup
:- Second extract - 3 cups
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Dry ginger powder / Chukku podi - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method of Preparation:
1. Soak the rice in the second extract of coconut milk and pressure cook for upto 4 whistles with enough salt.
2. Meanwhile crush the cumin seeds between your palms and add to the first extract of coconut milk and keep aside.
3. Once pressure settles in the cooker, open the lid and keep it on the stove again.
4. Add the dry ginger powder and mix thoroughly.
5. Add the first extract of coconut milk and give it a nice stir.
6. Remove from fire once it comes to a boil.
7. Serve hot with sugar or any kind of chutney.

Happy cooking :)

Potato Sagu

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 3 (boiled and mashed)
Tomato(small) - 1 (diced)
Onion(large) - 1 (finely chopped)
Green chillies - 2 (cut into roundels)
Curry leaves - a sprig
Coriander leaves - a handful
Wheat flour / atta - 1/2 tsp(mixed with 2 tsp of water without lumps)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying
Salt - As required

Method of Preparation:

1)Heat oil in a kadai.

2)Splutter the mustard seeds.

3)Add the chopped onions and curry leaves.

4)When the onions become transparent, add the diced tomatoes and stir cook until the tomatoes turn pulpy.

5)Add the mashed potatoes, turmeric powder, salt to taste and the atta water.

:- DO NOT add too much of atta, since it would spoil the flavour. Just half a tsp would do. This is to get the thickness and glazed look.

6)Add a little water to just cover the potatoes and cook covered until the mixture becomes a gravy.

7)Check for salt and remove fire.

:- Serve with puris and chapathis.

:- You can thicken the gravy to a dry consistency and use this as masala for masala dosas too.

Happy cooking :)

Egg Puffs

Ingredients:

Puffs pastry sheets – 2
Eggs - 2(hot boiled, shelled and cut in half)
Egg - 1(beaten)
Onion(small) - 1(finely sliced lengthwise)
Tomato(small) - 1 diced
Ginger-garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig(roughly chopped)
Coriander leaves - handful(roughly chopped)
Salt - As reqd
Sugar - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method of Preparation:

1)Remove the puff pastries from the freezer half hour prior to preparation.

2)Heat oil in a pan.

3)Add the onions and curry leaves and sauté till the onions turn golden brown.

4)Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté till a nice aroma arises.

5)Add the tomatoes and cook covered on low heat till the tomatoes turn pulpy.

6)Add the chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt to taste.

7)Mix well and cook covered till the raw smell of the powders disappear.

8)Add the coriander leaves and mix well and remove from fire.

9)Cut the pasties lengthwise in half.

10)Spread the masala on one end of the pastry sheet which is cut in half and place half an egg on top of it.

11)Fold the puff pastry over the egg and seal it by pressing the corners firmly.

12)Using a pastry brush rub the beaten egg evenly on top of the puffs.
:-This gives the professional glossy appearance to the puff.

13)Repeat the procedure for all the pastries and arrange on an oiled baking tray with 2 inches gap between the pastries to allow room for raising.

14)Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the pastries for 30 minutes or until they are golden brown on top.
:- If you keep the temp hotter then the puffs will change color very soon but they won't puff up well.

15)Egg puffs is ready and serve hot with Mint chutney and ketchup.

Happy cooking :)

Pineapple Payasam

Ingredients:

Ripe pineapple – 2 cups (Remove the skin and chop finely)
Sugar – 1 cup
Milk – 1 litre
Sabudana / Sago – ½ cup
Coconut milk – ½ cup
Condensed milk – ½ cup (optional)
Raisins / kishmish - ¼ cup
Split cashew nuts – ¼ cup
Cardamom - 5 (crushed)
Ghee – 2 tbsp

Method of preparation:

1. Soak sago in 1 cup of water for about 1 hour.
2. Pressure cook pineapple pieces in ¼ cup of water till done.
3. Keep aside 1 cup of milk and heat the remaining milk on a thick bottomed vessel.
4. When milk comes to a boil add the soaked sago and boil till they are well cooked.
5. Add sugar to the boiling mixture and stir till it dissolves and continue to boil till the milk reduces a bit.
6. Add the condensed milk and continue stirring.
7. Meanwhile heat ghee in a small wok and fry cashew nuts and raisins and add to the payasam along with cardamom powder.
8. Now add the cooked pineapple and stir.
9. Once the payasam is well blended add the coconut milk and remove from fire.
10. After 5 minutes add the remaining milk to the payasam and give it a nice stir.
:- this is to maintain the payasam in the same consistency even when cold.

Happy cooking :)

Semiya / Vermicelli Payasam

Ingredients:

Vermicelli / Semiya - 1 cup
Milk - 1 litre
Sugar – 1 cup
Salt - A pinch
Pineapple essence – 5 drops
Cashew nuts(split) - 10 nos
Raisins(Kismis) - A few
Cardamom - 5 (crushed)
Ghee – 2 tbsp

Method of preparation:

1. Keep aside 1 cup of milk and heat the remaining mil in a thick bottomed vessel.
2. Meanwhile heat the ghee in a small wok and fry the cashew nuts and raisins and keep them aside.
3. In the remaining ghee fry the vermicelli to golden brown and keep it aside.
4. When the milk comes to a boil add the roasted vermicelli and cook stirring constantly till done.
5. Once the vermicelli is well cooked add sugar and stir till they dissolve completely.
6. Now add the essence, crushed cardamom and cashew nuts, raisins, salt and stir well.
7. After 5 minutes remove from fire.
8. After 5 minutes add the remaining milk and give it a stir
:- this is to make sure the payasam doesn’t change consistency when its cold.
:-Serve hot or chilled.

Variations: Instead of pineapple essence add different other essence each time you make payasam to have variations in your dessert. You can use essence like vanilla, rose, mango etc.

Happy cooking :)

Palada Pradhaman

Ingredients:

Ada - 2 cups
Milk - 2 litres
Sugar - 1 cup (or as needed)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cardamom - 5 (crushed)
Cashew nuts - ¼ cup
Raisins / dried grapes - ¼ cup

Method of preparation:

1. Soak the ada in hot water for about 15 minutes.

2. Filter the ada and wash under running cold water.
:- this will make sure the ada doesn’t stick together.

3. Keep aside 2 cups of milk and boil the remaining milk in a thick bottomed vessel.

4. When the milk starts to thicken, add the ada and cook, stirring constantly to make sure milk doesn’t overflow nor get burnt at the bottom.

5. Add sugar and stir till it dissolves completely.

6. Meanwhile heat ghee in a small wok and add the chew nuts and raisins.

7. When the raisins fluff up pour this onto the pradhaman and add the crushed cardamom seeds.

8. When the pradhaman reaches the desired consistency, remove from fire.

7. After 5 minutes pour in the remaining milk and stir.
:- this will make sure the pradhaman doesn’t become thick when it cools down.

:- Serve hot or chilled.

Happy cooking :)

Palada Pradhaman

Ingredients:

Ada - 200 gm or a packet
Milk - 2 litres
Sugar - 1 cup (or as needed)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cardamom - 5 (crushed)
Cashew nuts - ¼ cup
Raisins / dried grapes - ¼ cup

Method of preparation:

1. Soak the ada in hot water for about 15 minutes.

2. Filter the ada and wash under running cold water.
:- this will make sure the ada doesn’t stick together.

3. Keep aside 2 cups of milk and boil the remaining milk in a thick bottomed vessel.

4. When the milk starts to thicken, add the ada and cook, stirring constantly to make sure milk doesn’t overflow nor get burnt at the bottom.

5. Add sugar and stir till it dissolves completely.

6. Meanwhile heat ghee in a small wok and add the chew nuts and raisins.

7. When the raisins fluff up pour this onto the pradhaman and add the crushed cardamom seeds.

8. When the pradhaman reaches the desired consistency, remove from fire.

7. After 5 minutes pour in the remaining milk and stir.
:- this will make sure the pradhaman doesn’t become thick when it cools down.

:- Serve hot or chilled.

Happy cooking :)

Spicy Fish Fry - Kerala Style

Ingredients:

Fish pieces - 6 (any kind; cleaned and washed)
:- If using small full fish, then make some slits breadth wise on the fish on both sides (this is called gashing)
Shallots / Sambar onions - 4
Green chilies - 2
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic cloves - 5

Fish Fry

Chili powder - 3 heaped tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying

Method of preparation:

1. Grind together the sambar onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, chili powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt to taste to a little coarse paste.
2. Rub the masala nicely on the fish pieces pushing the masala nicely into the gashes.
3. Refrigerate and marinate for as long as possible.
: - you can fry the fish immediately also.
4. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a shallow pan or a tawa.
5. Fry fish on both sides till done.
6. Remove onto an absorbent paper.
7. Serve hot with sliced onion and lemon wedges.

:- You can apply the masala on fish and freeze it. Whenever you need fish fry, thaw the frozen fish and just shallow fry. This fish fry would be really tasty as the fish would have absorbed the masala nicely.

Happy cooking :)

Fish curry with green mango

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 Kg (cleaned and washed)
:- any kind that you like
Raw sour mango - 1 small (chopped into big pieces; make about 8 pieces or less)
Tomato - 1 small (diced)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1 cup (peeled and crushed)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1/4 cup (finely chopped into roundels)
Green chillies - 4 (slit)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a fistful (roughly chopped)
Chili powder - 4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp

Grind together to a fine paste:
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Method of preparation:

1. Add some salt and turmeric power to the cleaned fish and keep aside.
2. In a vessel or earthen pot take 2 cups of water.
3. To this add tomatoes, crushed onion, green chilies, curry leaves, chili power, coriander powder, turmeric powder, enough water and salt to taste.
4. Keep the prepared mixture on stove top and cook covered for 5 minutes.
5. Add the coconut paste and mix well.
6. Cook covered till the curry reduces a bit.
7. Add the fish pieces and mango pieces and cook covered till they are well cooked.
8. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small kadai.
9. Add the finely chopped onion and fry till they are browned and nice aroma arises.
10. Pour this on to the curry and keep it closed. Serve hot with rice, idli or dosa.

Happy cooking :)

Fish curry - Mix of Kerala and Tamil Nadu Styles

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 Kg (cleaned and washed) :- any kind that you like
Tamarind - 1 big lemon size (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes)
Curry vadam - 2 tbsp (optional)
Tomato - 1 big (diced)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1 cup (peeled and crushed)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1/4 cup (finely chopped into roundels)
Green chilies - 4 (slit)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a fistful (roughly chopped)

Kerala-Tamil Nadu Fish curry

Garlic cloves - 5 (crushed with skin)
Black pepper - 1 tbsp (crushed)
Chili powder - 4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp
Gingiley oil - 4 tbsp

Grind together to a fine paste:
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Method of preparation:

1. Add some salt and turmeric power to the cleaned fish and keep aside.
2. Extract pulp from the soaked tamarind.
3. To the Tamarind pulp add tomatoes and crush well.
4. To this add crushed onion, green chilies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, chili power, coriander powder, turmeric powder, enough water and salt to taste.
5. Heat oil in a vessel or an earthen pot.
6. Add the curry vadam. Once they splutter add the prepared mixture and cook covered for 5 minutes.
7. Add the coconut paste and mix well.
8. Cook covered till the curry reduces a bit.
9. Add the fish pieces and cook covered till they are well cooked.
10. Pour one tbsp gingiley oil and crushed garlic and pepper and the roughly chopped coriander leaves and remove from fire.
11. Heat the remaining gingiley oil in a small kadai.
12. Add the finely chopped onion and fry till they are browned and nice aroma arises.
13. Pour this on to the curry and keep it closed. Serve hot with rice, idli or dosa.

Happy cooking :)

Fish curry - Kerala Style

Ingredients:

Fish - 1/2 Kg (cleaned and washed)
:- any kind that you like
Cocum - 2 (soaked in 1 cup of hot water for 15 minutes with some salt)
Tomato - 1 big (diced)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1 cup (peeled and crushed)
Shallots / sambar onions - 1/4 cup (finely chopped into roundels)
Green chilies - 4 (slit)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a fistful (roughly chopped)
Chili powder - 4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp

Grind together to a fine paste:
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece

Method of preparation:

1. Add some salt and turmeric power to the cleaned fish and keep aside.
2. To the soaked cocum add tomatoes and crush the tomatoes well.
3. To this add crushed onion, green chilies, curry leaves, chili power, coriander powder, turmeric powder, enough water and salt to taste.
4. Keep the prepared mixture on stove top and cook covered for 5 minutes.
5. Add the coconut paste and mix well.
6. Cook covered till the curry reduces a bit.
7. Add the fish pieces and cook covered till they are well cooked.
8. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small kadai.
9. Add the finely chopped onion and fry till they are browned and nice aroma arises.
10. Pour this on to the curry and keep it closed. Serve hot with rice, idli or dosa.

Variation:- If you do not have cocum, then use a lemon sized ball of tamarind.

Happy cooking :)

Garlic Rasam

Ingredients:

Black pepper - 3 tsp
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 3 tsp
Garlic pods - 5 nos
Ripe tomatoes - 2 nos
Green chillies - 3 nos
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Grated jaggery(Sharkkara) - 1 tsp
Red gram(Thoor dhal) water (optional)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds(Uluva) - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida(Kayam) - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind(Puli) - 2 lemon sized balls
Salt - As reqd
Oil for seasoning

Method of Preparation:

1)Heat 2 cups of water in a vessel.

2)Add the tamarind and tomatoes diced into big pieces to it.

:- This is for the tamarind to soak faster and also for the tomatoes to be mashed easily.

3)Pound the black pepper and cumin seeds nicely, followed by the garlic pods with the skin on and finally the green chillies until they just break.

:- Freshly pound pepper and cumin seeds always gives a better flavor than stored rasam powder.

4)Nicely mash the soaked tamarind and tomatoes and remove as much waste as possible.

5)Add the pound mixture, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves, grated jaggery, thoor dal water (optional) and salt to taste.

:- Jaggery is the secret ingredient that most caterers use.

6)Heat about 2 tsp of oil in a kadai or whichever vessel you want to prepare the rasam.

7)Splutter the mustard seeds.

8)Add the fenugreek seeds and the asafoetida.

9)Pour the prepared rasam mixture into the vessel.

10)Add 2 more cups of water or as desired.

11)Check for salt.

12)Keep an eye on the rasam because it just takes about 5 - 6 minutes to be done.

13)When the rasam mixture is just about to start boiling, switch off the flame and close the vessel with a lid.

:- You get the best flavor of rasam only if it has not boiled. It should get cooked in the steam after you close the vessel with the lid. So make sure to switch off the stove when its frothy and the first bubble arises.

Tips:-
1)Serve hot with rice.

2)It is very good for digestion.

3)Since there is no turmeric powder added to it, this rasam will have a natural color.

Happy cooking :)

Egg Curry

Ingredients:

Hard boiled eggs - 4 (sliced in 2-3 places without cutting through)
Cauliflower florets - 2 cups (roughly chopped)
Green chili - 1 (cut into roundels)
Onion - 1/2 (slices lengthwise)
Shallots / sambar onion - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
Tomatoes - 2 (Diced)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a handful (roughly chopped)
Chili powder - 4 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Seasoning Ingredients:
Poppy seeds / Khasa Khasa - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece (broken)
Cloves - 4 (beat the head)
Bay leaf - 1 (torn in half)

Grind to a coarse paste:
Medium onion - 1
Green chillies - 2
Fennel seeds / Saunf - 1 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp

Grind to a fine paste:
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai and add the seasoning ingredients. Saute till they change color.
2. Add the sliced onion, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute till the onions change color.
3. Add the ground onion mixture and saute till they change color and nice aroma arises.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook covered on low flame till the onions become pulpy.
5.Add the chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt to taste and turmeric powder and saute for a few minutes.
6. Add the cauliflower and 3 cups of water and cook covered on medium flame till the cauliflower gets cooked and curry reduces a bit.
7. Add the ground coconut and cook covered for five minutes.
8. Add the eggs and cook covered for a few more minutes.
9. Add the roughly chopped coriander leaves and remove from fire.
10. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small wok and add the finely chopped shallots and fry till they turn dark brown with a wonderful flavor. Add this to the egg curry and keep it closed.
11. Serve hot with rice, idli, dosa or roti.

Variation: Add one boiled potato instead of cauliflower.

Happy cooking :)

Moru curry / Kadi

Ingredients:
Sour curd - 1 1/2 cups(beaten)
Vazhakkai/Big cucumber/White pumpkin (chopped to medium sized pieces) - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2 nos
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Chilly powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Dry red chillies(Kollamulaku) - 2 nos
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - As reqd
Oil - 1 tsp

Method of preparation:
1)Grind together grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds. Keep aside.

2)In a vessel, add 1 1/2 cups water, chopped vegetables, half of the curry leaves, chilly powder and turmeric powder. Bring to boil.

3)When the vegetables are fully cooked and the raw smell of the chilly powder is gone, add the ground paste and add a little water if necessary.
:- Make sure the mixture is not too watery.

4)Allow it to boil.

5)Add the beaten curd and salt to taste.

6)When the first bubble arises, switch off the stove.
:- Do not let the mixture to boil.

7)Heat oil in a small pan or a kadai.

8)Splutter mustard seeds and saute the red chillies and the remaining curry leaves.

9)Add this to the curry.

:- Serve with rice.

:- This recipe can be made without adding any veggies too. Would taste equally good.

Happy cooking :)

Cheppankezhangu kuzhambu / colacasia curry

Ingredients:
Colacasia / chepankezhangu - 1/4 kg (boiled, peeled and copped into thick roundels)
Small onions / shallots - 1/2 cup (peeled and crushed)
Green chilies - 4 (slit)
Tomatoes - 2 (diced)
Garlic cloves - 4 (peeled and crushed)
Ginger - 1 inch piece (crushed)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves - a handful (roughly chopped)
Kuzhambu milagai thool - 4 tbsp
or
Sambar powder - 4 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - medium lemon size (soaked in hot water for 15 mins)
Garlic cloves - 4 (crushed with skin)
Black Pepper - 10 (crushed)
Curry vadam - 2 tbsp
Jaggery - 1 tbsp
Vegetable oil - 4 tbsp
Gingely oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method of preparation:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and fry the colacasia pieces till they turn golden brown. Remove onto a plate.

2. Meanwhile squeeze out the pulp from the tamarind and throw away the waste.

3. Add tomatoes to the tamarind pulp and squeeze out the pulp of tomato. Remove as much skin as possible.

4. To this add the slit green chilies, curry leaves, crushed onion, crushed peeled garlic cloves, ginger, kuzhambu milagai thool, turmeric powder, salt to taste and jaggery and mix nicely. Check for salt.

5. Heat remaining vegetable oil in a vessel.

6. Add curry vadam and saute till nice aroma arises.

7. Pour in the prepared mixture and add 4 cups of water.

8. Add the fried colacasia after 5 minutes.

9. Let the mixture reduce to 1/3 and add the crushed garlic with skin, crushed pepper and the gingily oil.

10. Add the chopped coriander leaves. Give it a nice stir. Remove from fire.

11. Serve hot with rice with any kind of vegetable stir fry or an omelet as side dish.

:- this curry tastes excellent as a side dish for curd rice.

Happy cooking :)

Idli / Dosa batter

Ingredients:

Idli rice - 6 leveled cups
Split urad dhal with skin - one heaped cup
Cooked rice - fistful
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste - about 3 tsp
Method:
1. Soak the rice for 6 hours with the fenugreek seeds.
2. Soak the dhal for 2 hours. Wash and remove as much skin as you can. Its ok to have a few urad dhal skin left.
3. Grind the urad dhal first with minimum water till it fluffs up in the grinder.
4. Remove into a tall vessel.
5. Now grind the rice with a fistful of cooked rice with minimum water, sprinkling little bit of water as and when necessary. The batter should not be too fine. Remove when its a little bit coarse, just a little bit.
6. Remove onto the tall vessel and mix the batter thoroughly with salt to taste.
7. Let the batter ferment overnight in a warm place.
8. You can make wonderful soft idlis and also golden dosas with this.

:- Dosas do not turn out golden if there is no fenugreek seeds and if it is not fermented well.
:- Batter will not ferment well if no salt is added or if the surrounding is not warm enough.
:- If you are in a cold place, then Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Switch off the oven and keep the batter inside the oven over night. Do not worry, the batter will not become a big bowl of idli :)

Happy cooking :)

Egg masala

Ingredients:

Eggs - 4 (hard boiled, shelled and cut in half)
Large Onion - 1 (finely sliced lengthwise)
Tomato - 1 (diced)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cinnamon sticks - two 1 inch sticks, broken down.
Cloves - 6 (break the heads)
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Khus khus - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp


Method of Preparation:

1) Heat oil in a wok. Add khus khus and fennel seeds.
2) When khus khus stops spluttering add the onion, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute till the onions start turning golden.
3) Add ginger-garlic paste and saute till nice aroma arises.
4) Add the diced tomatoes and cook covered on low heat till they turn pulpy.
5) Add the sambar powder, turmeric, garam masala and salt, and mix well. Cook covered for a few minutes till the raw smell of the powders disappear.
6) Once all the water from the tomatoes evaporate add the halved eggs and saute for a few minutes.
7) Remove from fire and serve with any kind of variety rice or curry rice.

Happy cooking :)

Peas Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 2 cups
Water - 3 cups
Fresh green peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (finely sliced)
Green chili - 1 (slit) (pulao should be bland)
Oil/ghee - 3 tbsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece broken in half
Cloves - 4
Coconut milk - 1 cup (optional)
:- If adding coconut milk, then reduce the water quantity to 2 cups.
Salt to taste

Method of Preparation:

1) Soak the basmati rice in 2 cups of water.
2) Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker.
3) Add cinnamon sticks and cloves. Saute for a few seconds.
4) Add the onion and green chillies. Saute till the onions start changing color.
5) Now add the green peas and saute till they r half done.
6) Filter the rice from water and add to the onion mixture. Saute for 5 minutes.
7) Pour in the rice-soaked water and coconut milk (if being used) and cover with the lid. Cook for just one whistle only.
8) Let the steam settle by itself. Mix well and serve hot with some spicy curry.

Happy cooking :)

Pazham pori / Ripe banana bajji

Ingredients:
Ripe Nendhram Pazham - 1
Egg - 1 (optional)
Maida - 1 cup
Sugar - 4 tbsp (or according to taste - batter should not be too sweet though)
:- you may also add 2 sugarfree tablets instead of sugar for diabetics and health conscious.
Cardamom - 4 (powdered / pounded)
Water - as required (about 2 cups)
Salt - a pinch
Sodium-bi-carb - a pinch (optional)
:- adding soda will make the appams crispy. Do not add too much though. Not good for the stomach.
Yellow food color - 10 drops
Oil - for deep frying

Method of Preparation:
1) Beat egg nicely in a shallow vessel.
2) Add maida to the beaten egg.
3) Add enough water to make a bajji-like batter.
4) Add sugar, soda-bi-carb, cardamom powder, salt and food color, and mix thoroughly making sure no lumps are formed.
5) Cut the banana into half.
6) Then cut each half into 4 strips lengthwise.
7) Heat enough oil in a wok for deep frying.
8) Dip the banana strips into the batter and deep fry till done.
:- Let them not change color too much. Remove when they start turning golden brown.
9) Serve hot with tea.

Happy Cooking :)

Vegitable Biriyani

Biriyani is savored in all parts of India and forms an integral part of Indian Cuisine. Though biriyani made with Chicken, Lamb, Fish or Shrimp are the most popular across India, this vegetarian version is also lip-smacking and is a boon to vegetarians. Following is a recipe that I learnt from one of my friend’s mom who makes the best biriyani that I have ever tasted.