Kallappam

Ingredients

1. Idli rice - 1 cup
2. Grated coconut - 0.5 cup
3. Cooked rice - 0.5 cup
4. Yeast - 1 tsp
5. Sugar - 2 tbsp
6. Salt
7. Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
8. Jeera - 1 tsp
9. Shallots - 3
10. Oil - 2 tsp

Procedure

1. Soak rice for a minimum of 5 hours.
2. Grind rice with less water ( 3 tbsp ) in a mixie into a smooth paste
3. Add grated coconut and cooked rice to this and grind well again.
4. Add yeast and sugar with 2 tbsp of warm water and leave it for 10 minutes. Yeast will dissolve and gets activated. Instead of yeast, half glass toddy can be used. I have never tried with toddy.
5. Add this to the mixie along with the batter and grind for a minute.
6. Leave this batter in a vessel for 8 hours or overnight to ferment. The batter volume would have doubled by then.
7. Pulse 3 tbsp of coconut, jeera and shallot once in a mixie.
8. Add the coconut mixture to the batter and mix well.
9. Heat a tawa and apply oil.
10. Pour a laddle full of batter and gently spread the batter into a circle. After sometime, holes will appear on the dosa and one side will be cooked.
11. Flip to the other side and cook it as well.
12. Yummy Kallappam is ready to be served with chicken curry or peas curry.

Note:

1. The dosa should not be left on the tawa for too long. Otherwise, it will dry up and will become crisp.
2. Best to have this appan when it is hot.

Mango / Mambazha pulishery

Ingredients 

1. Very ripe small / medium sized mangoes - 4
2. Grated coconut - 0.5 cup
3. Jeera - 1 tsp
4. Mustard - 0.5 tsp
5. Green chillies - 2
6. Curry leaves - 2 twigs
7. Sugar - 1 tbsp (optional)
8. Curd - 1.5 cups
9. Red chilli - 1
10. Oil - 1 tbsp
11. Shallots - 3

Procedure

1. Remove the skin of the mango and boil it in a deep pan with enough water to cover it.
2. Continue boiling till the mangoes become mushy.
3. Break red chilli into few pieces
4. Cut shallots into small pieces
5. Pulse the curd once in a mixie to remove all lumps in the curd.
6. If the mango is not sweet enough, a tbsp of sugar can be added optionally.
7. Grind grated coconut in a mixie into a smooth paste. Add jeera and green chillies and pulse once. 
8. Boil the above mixture in a pan. Add the boiled mangoes into this mixture.
9. When the mixture is completely boiled and mangoes mixed well with the coconut paste, add the curd to this mixture.
10. After a minute of heating, switch off the stove. The curd should not be heated too much since it will curdle if heated for long.
11. In a separate pan, heat oil
12. Splutter mustard, shallots, red chilli and curry leaves.
13. When the shallots have browned, pour this over the pulissery.
14. Yummy mambazha pulishery is ready to be served with rice.

Madakku Saan

Ingredients for pancake

1. Wheat / Atta - 1 cup
2. Milk - 0.5 cup
3. Water - 1 cup
4. Sugar - 2 tsp
5. Cardamom powder - 0.25 tsp
6. Salt - a pinch
7. Ghee - 2 tbsp

Ingredients for filling

1. Coconut - 0.5 cup
2. Sugar - 2 tbsp

 Procedure

1. Make batter using all the ingredients for pancake. Make sure that there are no lumps in the batter.
2. Heat tawa on stove top and pour a ladle of pancake batter and make a circle dosa.
3. Add ghee on top of the batter. When one side, flip to other side and cook the other side as well.
4. Mix coconut and sugar well for making the filling.
5. Spread a spoon filling in the centre of the pancake lengthwise. Fold the pancake from either side to the top of the filling. Press the edges.
6. Yummy madakkusan is ready as an evening snack.

Vegetable cutlet

Ingredients 

1. Potato - 3
2. Beetroot - 2
3. Carrot - 1
4. French beans - 6-7
5. Green chilli - 1
6. Ginger - 1 inch
7. Onion - 1 large
8. Red chilli - 1 tsp
9. Garam masala - 0.5 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 0.25 tsp
11. Fennel seeds - 0.5 tsp
12. Salt
13. Egg -2 
14. Bread crumbs - 5 tbsp (approximately)
15. Oil - 2 tbsp + oil required for frying

Procedure

1. Boil potato in a cooker upto 8 whistles. 
2. Peel the potato once it is cool and mash it well. Make sure there are no lumps.
3. Peel and cut beetroot and carrot in large pieces. Similarly cut beans into pieces.
4. Pulse the vegetables in a mixie for 3 or 4 times for 2 seconds each. The vegetables should be very finely cut.
5. Microwave the vegetables for 3 minutes.
6. Cut green chilli and ginger into very small pieces.
7. Cut onion into small pieces
8. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a vessel. Add fennel seeds to this and wait till it browns and becomes aromatic.
9. Add onion, green chillies and ginger till onion turns transparent.
10. Add the pulsed vegetables to this and cook for 2 minutes.
11. Add the mashed potatoes to this.
12. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder to this and mix well.
13. When the mixture is completely dry, switch off the stove and allow it to cool.
14. In a vessel, mix the eggs well.
15. Take the bread crumbs in a plate.
16. When the vegetable mixture is cool, make lemon sized balls from the mixture. Flatten each ball with right hand fingers after placing the vegetable ball on the left palm.
17. Dip the cutlet in egg mixture and roll it in bread crumbs so that it is covered evenly.
18. Heat oil in a separate vessel on high flame.
19. Drop the cutlet into the hot oil. Flip and fry till both sides have browned evenly.
20. Take the cutlet out of oil and keep it in kitchen tissue paper to drain excess oil.
21. Yummy cutlets are ready to be served as an evening snack along with finely cut onion and tomato ketchup.

Elaneer / Karikku dosa

Ingredients

1. Sona masoori rice - 1 cup
2. Elaneer / Karikku / tender coconut flesh - 1 cup
3. Elaneer / Karikku / tender coconut water - 1/2 cup
4. Fenugreek seeds - 0.5 tsp
5. Sugar - 2 tbsp
6. Salt
7. Oil

Procedure

1. Wash the rice and soak it overnight using water.
2. Grind rice, tender coconut flesh and fenugreek seeds using very little coconut water.
3. Add sugar and salt to this and grind again.
4. Add more coconut water so that the batter gets a dosa batter consistency.
5. Heat a dosa tawa and apply oil on top of the tawa.
6. Pour one laddle of batter and circle the batter on the tawa.
7. Flip the dosa to the other side when one side has browned lightly.
8. Yummy elaneer dosa is ready to be served with katti chammanthi.

Prawn pulav using pressure cooker

Ingredients 

1. Prawn - 250 gm
2. Green chillies - 3
3. Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tbsp
4. Onion - 2 medium
5. Tomato - 1
6. Star anise - 1
7. Cinnamon stick - 2 pieces
8. Cardamom - 3
9. Cloves - 4
10. Pepper corm - 7
11. Ghee - 3 tbsp
12. Prawn cubes - 2
13. Coriander leaves - 0.25 cup
14. Basmathi rice - 1.5 cup
15. Water - 3 cups
16. Lime juice - 1tbsp
17. Salt

Procedure

1. Clean and devein prawns.
2. Marinate this with 0.5 tbsp of lime juice and salt.
3. Soak basmathi rice in water for 20 minutes.
4. Cut onion into thin slices.
5. Cut tomato and green chillies into small pieces.
6. In a pan, heat ghee.
7. Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, pepper corn and star anise.
8. Fry for few minutes.
9. Add onion to this and fry till it becomes brown.
10. Add ginger-garlic to this and fry for few minutes till the raw small leaves.
11. Add tomato and coriander leaves to this.
12. Fry for few minutes till tomato becomes mushy.
13. Add prawn cubes to this.
14. Boil water and add to the pan with masala and mix well.
15. Pour this masala water into a pressure cooker.
16. Add rice to this along with salt.
17. Cook the rice till 3 whistles.
18. When the steam of the pressure cooker is completely released, add the remaining lime juice.
19. Fluff the rice with a fork.
20. Yummy prawn pulav is ready to be served with raita.

Note: Garnish the pulav with onion (half onion cut into thin slices) fried in ghee.

Prawn masala

Ingredients 

1. Prawn - 500 gm
2. Ginger, garlic paste - 1 tbsp
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
4. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
5. Garam masala - 0.5 tsp
6. Tomato - 1 medium
7. Onion - 3 medium
8. Curry leaves - 2 twigs
9. Water - 0.5 cup
10. Salt
11. Oil
12. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure

1. Clean and devein the prawns.
2. Marinate prawn with sat and keep aside.
3. Cut onion and tomato into small pieces.
4. In a pan, heat oil.
5. Add onion to this and fry till it turns brown.
6. Add ginger and garlic paste to this and fry for a minute or till the raw small leaves.
7. Add tomato to this and fry till becomes mushy.
8. Add red chilli, coriander, turmeric and garam masala and fry for a minute.
9. Add prawn to this and once it becomes white all around, add water. 
10. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.
11. Add curry leaves and coconut oil and let the masala boil till it comes to right consistency.
12. Yummy prawn masala is ready to be served with rice or chappathi.

Thai basil chicken fried rice

Ingredients

1. Jeera sambha rice / Basmathi rice- 1 cup
2. Chicken - 250 gm
3. Egg - 3
4. Onion - 1 medium
5. Oyster sauce - 3
6. Fish sauce - 2
7. Soya sauce - 1
8. Pepper powder - 1 tbsp
9. Ginger - 1 inch
10. Garlic - 4 cloves
11. Green chillies - 1
12. Sugar - 0.5 tsp
13. Pomace olive oil - 1 tbsp
14. Vegetables
1. Beans - 5
2. Carrot - 1
3. Capsicum - 1/2 of medium size
4. Brocoli - small size
5. Basil leaves - 1 cup
6. Spring onion - 1 stem

Procedure

1. Cook rice and keep in refrigerator for cooling. It is better to use rice that is cooked the previous day.
2. Clean and cut chicken into very small pieces.
3. Cut green chillies, garlic and ginger into very small pieces.
4. Cut onion into small pieces.
5. Cut all vegetables into very small pieces.
6. Mix the oyster, fish and soya sauce nicely.
7. Heat a wok and when it very hot, add oil.
8. When the oil is hot, add ginger garlic and green chillies.
9. When the ginger and garlic gets browned.
10. Add chicken to this and cook for 5 minutes. Chicken will cook fast since it has been cut to small pieces.
11. Add onion to this.
12. When onions are soft, add the vegetables and sauté for few minutes till it cooked 
13. Add sugar to this.
14. Move the vegetables to one corner of the wok.
15. Break two eggs into the wok. Add little salt and pepper on top of the egg and mix the egg to make a burji.
16. Mix the burji with the vegetables.
17. Add mixed sauces on top the vegetables and mix well.
18. Add rice and cook for 3 minutes.
19. Sprinkle pepper on top of the rice and mix well again.
20. Yummy thai basil egg fried rice is ready to be served.

Chicken ularthiyathu

Ingredients 

1. Chicken (Boneless) - 0.5 Kg
2. Red chilli powder - 3 tsp
3. Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
4. Garam masala powder - 0.5 tsp
5. Onion - 1 large
6. Shallot - 0.5 cup
7. Tomato - 1 
8. Green chillies - 2
9. Ginger - 2 inch
10. Garlic - 5 cloves
11. Salt 
12. Curry leaves - 2 twigs
13. Water - 0.5 cup
14. Oil

Ingredients for marination

1. Red chilli powder - 0.5 tsp
2. Pepper powder - 0.5 tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 0.25 tsp
4. Lime - 1 tsp
5. Salt

Ingredients for

1. Red chilli - 2 tsp
2. Pepper powder - 1 tsp
3. Fennel seeds - 0.5 tsp
4. Onion - 1 small
5. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
6. Fenugreek powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Oil - 1 tsp

Procedure

1. Clean chicken well.
2. Cut chicken in small pieces.
3. Marinate chicken with all ingredients mentioned under "Ingredients for marination" for a minimum of 30 minutes in a refrigerator. 
4. Cut onion into thin slices.
5. Cut green chillies vertically.
6. Cut tomato into small pieces.
7. Cut shallots into thin slices.
8. Crush ginger and garlic into a paste
9. Heat oil in a pan.
10. Add ginger garlic paste into this.
11. When the raw smell leaves, throw in shallot, onion, green chillies and curry leaves.
12. Fry till onion turns golden brown.
13. Now, add tomato and fry till it becomes mushy.
14. Add red chilli, coriander and garam masala powders and fry for a minute.
15. Add chicken to this.
16. Stir the chicken till it turns white on all sides.
17. Add water to this.
18. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
19. Open the lid and cook till all the water has almost evaporated.
20. In the mean time, heat oil in another pan.
21. Add red chilli broken into two or three pieces into the oil.
22. Add fennel seeds to this and stir for a minute.
23. Add onion and fry till it turns brown.
24. Add pepper, fenugreek and garam masala powder to this.
25. Add this into the other pan with chicken.
26. Mix well for another 5 minutes or till the colour becomes deep brown.
27. Sprinkle some more curry leaves to the dish. 
28. Yummy chicken ularthiyathu is ready to be served with rice or chappathi 

French toast

Ingredients 

1. Bread - 4 slices
2. Egg - 2
3. Milk - 0.5 cup
4. Sugar - 2 tbsp
5. Vanila essence - 0.5 tsp
6. Butter - 2 tbsp

Procedure

1. Whisk together egg, milk, sugar, 1 tbsp butter and essence into a smooth mixture.
2. Dunk a bread into it and make sure that either sides are coated with the mixture.
3. Heat a pan over medium heat. Apply butter in the pan.
4. Place the bread into the pan after the butter has melted. After two minutes when one side of the bread has become brown, flip the bread to the other side.
5. When both sides have browned, take out the bread into the serving plate.
6. Repeat for remaining bread.
7. Yummy french toast is ready to be served as an evening snack.

Both my girls are very fond of this easy french toast.

Note: 

1. I have seen some recipes in internet call for adding cinnamon powder to this. I have not tried this.
2. If you have a sweet tooth, increase the quantity of sugar or spread some powdered sugar on top of the toast.

Varutharacha chicken curry

Ingredients 

1. Chicken - 500 gm
2. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
4. Coriander powder - 1.5 tbsp
5. Garam masala powder - 2 tsp
6. Onion - 1 large
7. Tomato - 1 medium
8. Ginger - 1 inch
9. Garlic - 4 cloves
10. Green chilli - 1 
11. Oil - 1 tbsp
12. Salt
13. Water - 1 cup

Ingredients for roasting

1. Grated coconut - 1 cup
2. Shallot - 10
3. Curry leaves - 1 twig
4. Ginger - 2 inch piece
5. Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
6.  Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure

1. Clean the chicken well and marinate it with salt and lime juice.
2. Cut onion into thin slices.
3. Cut tomato into small pieces.
4. Make ginger and garlic into a paste.
5. Cut green chillies lengthwise.
6. In a pan, heat oil and add onion.
7. Fry till onion is about turn brown
8. Add ginger garlic, curry leaves and green chillies to this.
9. Stir for a minute.
10. Add the coriander, turmeric, red chilli and gram masala powder to this and stir well till the raw smell leaves.
11. Add tomato and mix till tomato turns mushy.
12. Add the chicken pieces to this and stir till it turns white.
13. Add one cup water and salt to this.
14. Close and cook for 10 minutes. Mix the curry in between.
15. In another pan, heat oil.
16. Add shallots and fry till it becomes transparent.
17. Add fennel seeds, ginger and curry leaves to this.
18. Add grated coconut to this and roast till it becomes brown.
19. Let the mix cool.
20. Grind this in a mixie adding very little water.
21. Once the chicken has cooked, add the roasted coconut paste into the pan.
22. Cook for another 5 minutes.
23. Add remaining coconut oil and curry leaves.
24. Yummy varutharacha chicken curry is ready to be served with rice.

Tandoori chicken

Ingredients

1. Chicken - 250 gm
2. Tandoori chicken masala - 1.5 tbsp
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece
5. Garlic - 4 cloves
6. Curd - 3 tbsp
7. Salt
8. Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
9. Mint leaves - 1 twig
10. Butter - 2 tbsp

Note: I used Everest tandoori chicken masala.

Procedure

1. Clean the chicken pieces.
2. Marinate with lime and salt for 15 minutes.
3. Make ginger and garlic into paste.
4. Mix ginger garlic paste, tandoori chicken masala, red chilli powder, curd, coriander leaves, mint leaves and salt. 
5. Apply this over the chicken.
6. Marinate this for minimum 4 hours. Overnight marination is better.
7. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degree celsius.
8. In an oven tray, apply butter.
9. Place the marinated chicken on the buttered tray.
10. Place a drop of butter on each chicken piece.
11. Bake for 15 minutes.
12. Turn the chicken to the other side.
13. Bake again for another 15 minutes.
14. Check if chicken is cooked. Chicken will turn brown on top.
15. Take the tray out of oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.
16. Serve this with thinly sliced onion.

Aval / Poha nanachathu

Ingredients

1. Aval - 1 cup
2. Water - 1/3 - 1/5 cup
3. Grated coconut - 0.25 cup
4. Sugar - 2 tbsp

Procedure

1. Take aval in a pan
2. Add water little by little on the aval and keep mixing well till it is completely soaked.
3. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Aval absorbs the water and becomes soft. 
4. Add grated coconut and sugar and mix well.
5. Keep aside for another 10 minutes for the sugar to blend in.
6. Yummy aval nanchathu is ready to be served as an evening snack.

Aval / Poha fry

Ingredients 

1. Aval / Poha / Rice flakes - 1 cup
2. Grated coconut - 0.25 cup
3. Sugar - 2 tbsp
4. Ghee - 1 tbsp

Procedure

1. Heat a pan.
2. Drop the aval into the pan when it is hot
3. Dry fry the aval.
4. Add coconut and fry for few more minutes
5. Add sugar to this 
6. Add ghee and fry till it melts and spreads into the aval.
7. Yummy aval fry is ready to be served.

Chicken biriyani in pressure cooker

Ingredients

1. Basmati rice - 1.25 cup
2. Chicken - 250 gms
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
4. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
5. Jeera powder - 1 tsp
6. Curd - 0.25 cup
7. Onion - 1 large
8. Tomato - 1 medium
9. Green chilli - 2
10. Ginger - garlic paste - 2 tsp
11. Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
12. Coriander leaves - 0.25 cup
13. Mint leaves - 1 twig
14. Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
15. Fennel seed - 1 tsp
16. Cashew nuts - 4
17. Coconut - 2 tbsp
18. Salt
19. Ghee - 3 tbsp
20. Water - 2 cups

Spice ingredients

1. Cardamom - 3
2. Black cardamom - 1
3. Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
4. Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
5. Cloves - 2

Marination ingredients

1. Curd - 2 tbsp
2. Green chilli - 1
3. Ginger - 1 inch piece
4. Garlic - 3
5. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
6. Salt

Procedure

1. Clean the chicken well.
2. Pulse the ingredients for marination.
3. Apply it on the chicken.
4. Keep it refrigerated for 1 hour or more.
5. Cut onion into thin slices.
6. Cut green chillies lengthwise.
7. Cut tomato into small pieces.
8. Soak poppy seeds, cashew nuts and fennel seed in water for 10 minutes.
9. Grind this with coconut into a smooth paste using a mixie. Keep this aside.
10. Rinse basmathi rice well with clean water.
11. Keep it soaked for 20 minutes.
12. In a pan, add 2 tbsp of ghee and heat it.
13. Add the rice after filtering off all the water.
14. Gently keep mixing the rice with ghee so that the rice is completely coated with ghee
15. Keep the rice aside.
16. In a pressure cooker, heat the remaining ghee.
17. Add the spices listed under spice ingredients and stir well till it becomes fragrant.
18. Add Onion and fry till it becomes transparent
19. Add green chillies and ginger garlic paste to this
20. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and garam masala to this and mix for a minute.
21. Add tomato and curd. Stir till tomato becomes mushy.
22. Add half of coriander and mint leaves and stir for a minute.
23. Add the coconut paste to this and mix well.
24. Add chicken to this and wait till the entire chicken pieces change its colour to white.
25. Add hot water to this and allow it to boil.
26. Drop the ghee coated rice to this mixture.
27. Add enough salt.
28. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and switch off after one whistle.
29. When the steam is completely released, open the cooker and add lemon juice.
30. Fluff the rice with a fork.
31. We can garnish this with ghee roasted cashews, raisins and thinly sliced and fried onion
32. This yummy and easy chicken biriyani can be served with raitha and chicken curry!

Kerala fish fry

Ingredients 

1. Fish (Vatta para) - 5
2. Shallot - 10
3. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
4. Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
5. Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tbsp
6. Coriander powder - 1.5 tbsp
7. Pepper powder - 0.5 tbsp
8. Salt
9. Curry leaves - 3 twigs
10. Oil - 3 tbsp

Procedure

1. Clean the fish.
2. Peel the skin completely.
3. Cut the fish into small pieces so that masala can be absorbed well.
4. Pulse shallots, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and  pepper powder in a mixie for 1 second.
5. Add salt to this and mix well and paste.
6. Apply this paste on the fish. Fish should be completely coated with the paste.
7. Keep the marinated fish in the refrigerator for an hour at least.
8. Heat oil in a pan.
9. When the oil is hot, drop the fish into the oil.
10. Flip the fish to the other side and cook both sides.
11. Drop curry leaves on top of the fish and fry for few more seconds.
12. Yummy fish fry is ready to be served with rice.

Note: I recently made this with Vatta para. The same recipe can be used for any fish fry.

Bread pudding

Ingredients 

1. Milk - 1.5 cup
2. Sugar - 0.3 cup
3. Butter - 1 tbsp
4. Bread - 4 or 5 slices
5. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
6. Egg-2
7. Salt - pinch
8. Cashews (optional) - 5
9. Raisins (optional)-5 

Ingredients for caramelization

1. Sugar - 3 tbsp heaped
2. Water - 3 tbsp
3. Lemon juice - 0.5 tsp

Procedure 
1. Take a dry pan and coat the inside with butter and keep aside
2. Make caramel from sugar
1. In a pan add the sugar and water and heat it.
2. Sugar will dissolve in the water.
3. Stir the liquid sugar
4. Add the lemon juice
5. Keep stirring till the colour of sugar turns light brown.
6. Switch off the stove.
3. Pour the caramel into the buttered pan
4. Boil milk and sugar
5. Break the bread into pieces 
6. Add the bread into the boiled milk and keep it aside for 5 minutes to cool.
7. In a mixie, pulse the bread and milk mixture, egg, vanilla essence, and salt till it becomes a smooth custard.
8. Pour this custard into the pan containing the caramel
9. Add cashews and raisins if required.
10. Close the pan with a lid
    
11. Heat water in idli cooker.
12. When the water is hot, place the pan in the cooker
13. Cook for 20-25 minutes
14. Open the lid of the pan and check if the pudding is of the right consistency. If it is still liquid, boil for some more time.
15. Take out the pan from the cooker and allow it to cool for five minutes.
16. Run a knife over the edge of the pan
17. Flip the pan into a serving plate. The pudding will drop into the plate nicely and the caramel will be on top of the pudding.
18. The pudding can be served hot or after cooling in a refrigerator for a minimum of an hour.

Parippu vada

Ingredients 

1. Gram dal - 1 cups
2. Green chilli - 3
3. Shallot - 15
4. Ginger - 2 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 3-4 stems
6. Kayam (asafoetida) - 1/4 tsp
7. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
8. Salt
9. Oil

Procedure

1. Cut green chilli coarsely.
2. Cut ginger coarsely.
3. Peel shallots.
4. Pulse shallots, ginger, green chilli coarsely using a mixie.
5. Soak the dal in water for two hours.
6. Keep 2 tsp of dal aside.
7. Grind the dal in mixie very coarsely. It should not be ground smoothly.
8. Mix the ground dal, the pulsed mixture, red chilli powder, asafoetida, curry leaves and salt.
9. Also, mix the dal kept aside to this mixture.
10. Make small balls of gooseberry size out of this combined mixture.
11. Heat oil in a deep pan.
12. Take each ball in your left hand and gently flatten it by pressing it. 
13. When the oil is very hot, gently drop the ball into the oil.
14. Flip the vada to the other side, so that both sides are browned.
15. Drain excess oil by placing the vada in a kitchen tissue.
16. Yummy hot parippu vada is ready to be served with hot tea.

Note:

1. Drop the vada batter into oil only when the oil is very hot. Else, it will break.
2. Instead of gram dal, half glass of chana and tur dal each can be used.

Ari payasam

Ingredients 

1. Raw rice / Sona Masoori rice - 0.5 cup
2. Jaggery - 1 cup
3. Water - 1.5 cup
4. Coconut scrapings - 1/4 cup
5. Ghee - 3 tbsp

Procedure

1. Cook the rice well in a pressure cooker. Water quantity should be three times the quantity of rice. Switch off after four whistles. Rice should not be too mushy. Wait for the steam to be released completely.
2. Heat Jaggery and half cup of water in a pan. Filter the jaggery water and remove all impurities from it. Heat the water again till it starts to thicken.
3. Open the cooker. Add the jaggery water and ghee and mix well.
4. Heat the mixture till all water evaporates.
5. Add coconut scrapings and mix well.
6. Yummy ari payasam is ready to be served. This payasam is typically served as a naivedyam to God.

Note:

1. This is my 100th post in this blog! I made this payasam today and submitted as a Naivedyam to Devi!
2. We can also add cashew nut and raisins roasted in ghee into this for crunchiness. 

Pasta (red sauce)

Ingredients 

1. Penne Pasta - 1 cup
2. Tomato - 4
3. Onion - 1 small
4. Garlic - 3 cloves
5. Italian seasoning - 1 tbsp
6. Chilli flakes - 1 tbsp
7. Salt
8. Oil
9. Butter - 1 tbsp
10. Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp
11. Parmesan Cheese - 2 tbsp (optional)
12. Water - 3 cups
13. Vegetables
1. Brocolli - 5 florets
2. Capsicum - 1/4 of a medium sized one
3. Baby corn - 3

Procedure

1. Blanch the tomatoes
1. Cut X mark on the tomato 
2. Boil it in water for 5 minutes or till the skin peels out. Water should cover the entire tomatoes.
3. When it has cooled, remove the skin 
2. Blend the tomatoes into a smooth puree in a mixie
3. In a deep pan, add the pasta. Add 3 cups of water to this along with salt.
4. Boil the pasta for 15 minutes in medium flame.
5. Remove from the stove and add cold water to it.
6. Drain the pasta and keep aside.
7. Cut onion and garlic into small pieces.
8. Also, cut the vegetables into small pieces.
9. In a pan, heat oil.
10. Add garlic and fry for few seconds.
11. Add onion into this and fry for few minutes till it turns transparent.
12. Add tomato puree to this and cook till the puree thickens.
13. Add the cut vegetables into this, cover and cook for few minutes.
14. Add the italian seasoning and chilli flakes into this and cook for few minutes.
15. Add butter and tomato ketchup and cook for few seconds.
16. Check for salt and add if required.
17. Add the pasta into this. Mix the sauce with the pasta. Sauce has to cover all the pasta.
18. Add grated cheese into this.
19. Yummy pasta is ready to be served.

Pic courtesy: My daughter Divya and her husband Ravisekhar who made the dish as per the instructions given here. 

Cheru payar vevichathu

Ingredients

1. Green gram - 1 cup
2. Jaggery - 1/4 cup
3. Coconut - 3 tbsp
4. Water - 2 cups approximately

Procedure

1. Add water into a pressure cooker and add the green gram into it. Water should cover the green gram completely.
2. Cook it in high flame for 10 whistles.
3. When the steam is completely released, open the cooker. Check if the gram is cooked well. If not, close the cooker and cook for few more whistles. Add more water if required.
4. When the gram is cooked well, add the jaggery and coconut to it.
5. Mix well.
6. Yummy and healthy evening snack is ready to be served.

Pakkavada / Ribbon pakoda

Ingredients

1. Kadala mavu (Besan flour) - 1 cup
2. Rice flour - 1/2 cup
3. Asafoetida - 1 tsp
4. Red chilli powder - 3/4 tbsp
5. Curry leaves - 1 springs
6. Salt
7. Oil
8. Water - 0.5 cup

Procedure

1. Mix besan flour, rice flour, asafoetida, red chilli powder  and salt into a soft dough by adding water little by little. The consistency should be like idiyappam dough. 
2. Divide the dough into two parts.
3. Push the dough into an idiyappam maker. Use the pakkavada mould so that when idiyappam maker is squeezed or rotated (depending on the type of the maker), the dough comes out in ribbon shape.
4. Heat oil in a deep pan.
5. When the oil is hot, drop a small piece of dough. If the dough rises up the oil quickly then the oil is of the right temperature.
6. Push the dough into the oil in circular motion. Be very carefully in this step when the dough is dropped into the hot oil. 
7. Wait for few minutes for one side to fry. Then flip over the dough to the other side.
8. Once both sides are cooked i.e. when both sides have turned brown, transfer the pakkavada into plate lined with kitchen tissue to remove excess oil.
9. Fry curry leaves in the same oil after removing the pakkavada. When the curry leaves are dropped in the oil, hot oil may splutter. So, be very careful.
10. Break the pakkavada and mix the fried curry leaves with it.
11. Store it in an air tight container. 
12. Yummy Pakkavada is ready to be served with hot tea / coffee.

Onion chutney

Ingredients

1. Onion - 3 medium
2. Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Procedure

1. Cut onion into big pieces
2. Pulse it 2-3 times using a mixie. It should be ground very coarsely.
3. Heat oil in a pan
4. Add red chilli powder to this and fry for few minutes 
5. Add half cup water to this and boil for few minutes till the oil separates
6. Add onion to this and cook till onion is completely cooked.
7. Add water to this as per the consistency required and boil for few more minutes
8. Yummy onion chutney can be served as a side dish for idli or dosa.

Unniyappam with rice flour

Ingredients

1. Rice flour - 1 cup
2. Wheat flour - 1/2 cup
3. Jaggery - 1 cup
4. Rava (un-roasted) - 1 tbsp
5. Banana - 2 palayamkodan (preferred) or Rasa kadali 
6. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
7. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt
9. Oil / Ghee for frying
10. Seseme seed - 1 tsp (optional)
11. Coconut bits - 1 tsp (optional)
12. Water - 1.5 cup approximately

Procedure

1. Add one cup of water into jaggery and heat till jaggery has dissolved completely.
2. Filter the jaggery water and remove all impurities
3. Grind banana with 2 tbsp of jaggery water. The mixture should be ground well.
4. Fry coconut bits in ghee till it becomes golden colour. Add sesame to this and fry for few seconds. This is an optional step.
5. Mix together rice, wheat, banana mixture, jaggery, cardamom powder and rava. 
6. If using coconut and sesame, add it to this mixture and mix well.
7. Add water till the mixture has the idli batter consistency.
8. Add baking soda to this and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
9. Heat the Unniappam chatti in medium heat.
10. Add oil or ghee or oil and ghee mixture till the middle of the depression.
11. Pour the batter into each depression. Check the consistency of the batter before pouring. Add some more water if the batter has become thick after resting.
12. After few seconds, flip the appam using a fork to cook the other side.
13. Turn the appam and make sure both sides are cooked well (till both sides become brown in colour).
14. Remove the appam and place it in a kitchen tissue paper to remove excess oil.
15. Repeat till the batter is over.
16. Yummy Uniyappam is ready to be served hot.

Poori

Ingredients 

1. Wheat flour - 1 cup + 1/4 cup for dusting
2. Water - 1/2 cup (approximately)
3. Oil - 1 tbsp
4. Salt

Procedure

1. In a pan, mix one cup of wheat flour and salt.
2. Add water little by little and knead well till the dough becomes smooth. It should not be sticky. Knead well for at least 5 minutes using the palm of your hand. 
3. Keep it well covered for 15 minutes
4. Knead it again for few seconds
5. Break it into gooseberry sized balls. With the above mentioned proportion, at least 8 pooris can be made.
6. Dust each dough ball with wheat flour 
7. Roll the ball into nice small circle shaped dough using a rolling pin on a board.
8. Place Kitchen tissue paper over a plate to drain all excess oil from the pooris
9. Heat oil in a pan at high flame.
10. When the oil is very hot, place the dough gently into the oil.
11. Press the dough gently. Then, the dough will pop up.
12. Flip to the other side and gently press so that both sides will be cooked well.
13. Take out the poori and place it in plate to remove oil
14. Store it in a thermal container after few minutes once the oil is completely drained.
15. Serve this with potato masala, egg curry or egg roast

Note: Make sure that the oil is very hot before dropping the poori dough in it.

Kerala mutta / egg curry

Ingredients

1. Egg - 4
2. Onion - 2 medium
3. Tomato - 2 medium
4. Garlic - 3 cloves
5. Ginger - 1 inch
6. Green chilli - 2
7. Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
8. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp 
9. Garam masala - 1 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Cashew nut - 5
12. Poppy seeds / Khus khus - 1/2 tsp
13. Coconut - 5 tbsp
14. Oil - 1 tbsp
15. Curry leaves - 1 twig
16. Mustard - 1/2 tsp
17. Fennel seed - 1/2 tsp
18. Water - 1 cup
19. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Ingredients for frying egg

1. Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
3. Salt
4. Oil - 1/2 tbsp

Procedure

1. Make egg fry
1. Make hard boiled eggs: Place the egg in a vessel and fill it with cool water. Add a pinch of salt to this to prevent egg from breaking. Boil the water in high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and leave it for 10 minutes. Once it has cooled peel the eggs.
2. Heat oil in a pan
3. Add chilli, turmeric powder and salt to this
4. Gently place the egg into this and roll it over the masala so that the egg is completely covered with masala.
5. Remove the coated eggs and keep it aside.
2. Prepare egg curry
1. Cut the green chilli into few pieces
2. Cut ginger and garlic 
3. Cut onion lengthwise thinly
4. Cut tomato into small pieces
5. Grind coconut, poppy and cashew nut into a smooth paste
6. Heat oil in a pan
7. Splutter mustard
8. Add fennel seeds and fry till it starts to brown
9. Add onion and fry till it starts to turn transparent
10. Add ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves to this and fry for some more time till the raw smell is removed.
11. Add red chilli, coriander, garam masala and turmeric powders to this and fry for another minute.
12. Add tomato to this. Cover and cook till the tomato becomes mushy. The whole mixture should be well cooked and reduced in volume.
13. Add the coconut paste to this and again stir for few more minutes
14. Add water and salt. 
15. Add the eggs
16. Cook till the curry attains the required consistency.
17. Garnish with coriander leaves.
3. Yummy egg curry is ready to be served with idiappam or appam

Thalapakatti biriyani

Ingredients

1. Jeeraga samba rice - 1 cup
2. Ginger - 1 inch
3. Green chillies - 3
4. Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
5. Cloves - 3
6. Cardamom - 3
7. Mace strand- 1
8. Shallots - 1.5 cups
9. Garlic - 0.25 cup
10. Coriander leaves - 0.25 cup
11. Mint leaves - 0.125 cup
12. Chicken - 0.5 Kg
13. Curd - 0.5 cup
14. Salt

Procedure

1. Soak rice in water for 15 min. 
2. Make a fine smooth green masala paste by grinding together ginger, green chilli, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and mace strand with little water.
3. Chop shallots and garlic lengthwise finely. 
4. Chop mint and coriander leaves finely.
5. Heat oil in a pan.
6. Add the green masala paste. 
7. Add in the chopped onions and garlic and saute well.
8. When it is slightly brown, add the chicken and mix well.
9. Add salt.
10. Close and cook the chicken.
11. When the chicken is almost done, add the curd, chopped coriander and mint leaves.
12. In a pressure cooker, add 1.5 cups of water and bring it to boil.
13. Add salt to the water.  (water has to slightly saltier).
14. Add the cooked chiken gravy to this water
15. When it gravy boils, add rice. 
16. Mix well and close and cook in medium flame until rice is done (1 whistle would be enough).
17. When rice is done, drizzle ghee on top 
18. Fluff up the rice
19. Yummy thalapakatti biriyani is ready to be served with raita and chicken curry.

Chicken Piralan

Ingredients

1. Chicken - 0.5 kg
2. Chilli Powder - 1.5 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 0.25 tsp
4. Pepper powder - 0.5 tsp
5. Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
6. Garam masala - 0.25 tsp
7. Curry leaves - 3 twigs
8. Coconut oil -  3 tbsp
9. Salt 
10. Coconut milk - 1 cup
11. Tomato - 1
12. Chilli - 3
13. Onion - 2 big
14. Ginger - 1 medium piece 
15. Garlic - 4 cloves
16. Coconut pieces - 10 small

Procedure

1. In a pan add all powders ( chilli, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, pepper)  and coconut milk. 
2. Mix well.
3. Then add chicken pieces and salt. Stir well.
4. Close and cook.
5. Once the chicken is cooked open the pan and allow the water to get dried.
6. Now the chicken pieces will be coated with masalas.
7. In other pan add coconut oil, fry coconut pieces.
8. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
9. Now, add finely chopped onion and green chilli and salt.
10. Add curry leaves.
11. Saute till light golden colour.
12. Then add chopped tomato and cook till tomato becomes mushy.
13. Now to this add cooked chicken and mix well.
14. Fry nicely.
15. Finally sprinkle coconut oil and curry leaves. A half tbsp of pepper can be sprinkled now (optional).
16. Close for 5 five minutes.
17. Yummy chicken piralan is ready to serve with ghee rice, rice, chapatti etc.

Sweet Shakara Pongal

Ingredients

1. Raw rice / Sona masoori rice - 0.5 cup
2. Moong dal - 1/3 cup
3. Jaggery - 0.5 cup 
4. Milk - 0.5 cup
5. Water - 1 cup
6. Cardamom - 1 tsp
7. Ghee - 2 tbsp
8. Cashew nuts - 6
9. Raisins - 6
10. Grated coconut - 2 tbsp (optional)
11. Banana (elakki small) - 1 (optional)

Procedure

1. Wash rice and dal well.
2. Add the rice and dal into a cooker. 
3. Add milk and water into the cooker.
4. Heat the pressure cooker for upto 5 whistles.
5. When the pressure is released, open the cooker. Rice and dal should be cooked well till they are mushy.
6. Add jaggery and mix well.
7. In a pan, add ghee.
8. Add raisins to this and remove them when it pops up.
9. Then add cashews. Remove when it becomes light brown.
10. Add the fried cashews and raisins and cardamom powder to the rice.
11. Mix well and heat it till it reaches the required consistency.
12. Add coconut and banana (cut into small round pieces) to this optionally.
13. Yummy shakara pongal is ready to be served.

Note: 

1. We can prepare this without the moong dal as well. 
2. More jaggery can be added if you have a sweet tooth

Mushroom soup

Ingredients

1. White Mushroom - 300 gms
2. Butter - 4 tsp
3. Onion – 2 Medium – Small pieces
4. Coriander leaves – half cup
5. Cream - 2 tsp
6. Lemon - 1 
7. Corn Flour - 2 tsp
8. Black pepper -1 tsp
9. Ginger - 1 tsp
10. Salt - As required
11. Water - 3 cups
12. Coconut milk – 1 cup
13. Salt- As needed

Procedure

1. Heat butter in a pan.
2. Add ginger paste and fry for 20 seconds.
3. Add onion and fry till it is pink.
4. Cut mushrooms into small pieces.
5. Add cut mushroom pieces.
6. Add salt and pepper. Fry for 10 minutes or till mushroom is cooked. 
7. Take half mushroom from the above preparation, add one cup of water. Grind it in a mixie. 
8. Add this to the pan along with the remaining mushroom mix.
9. Add 3 cups (200 ml/cup) of water and continue to heat in medium flame
10. In a bowl prepare corn floor paste, by adding corn floor and 2 tsp water. Add the corn flour paste into the pan and continue heating
11. Add cream and coriander leaves.
12. Heat for 2-3 minutes till the soup is thick, as required
13. Add 2 spoons of lemon juice into the pan and heat for 1 minute.
14. Yummy mushroom soup is ready to be served.

Recipe courtesy: My dear husband Madhu who loves to cook!

Aval dosa (without fermentation)

Ingredients 

1. Rice (Pachari / Sona masoori) - 1 cup
2. Aval / Poha - 0.5 cup
3. Baking soda (optional) - 1 pinch
4. Salt
5. Water

Procedure

1. Soak rice and aval for minimum 3 hours
2. Grind rice and aval into a smooth paste by adding less water initially.
3. Make this paste into a dosa batter by adding enough water.
4. Make dosa
1. Heat a dosa tawa
2. Brush oil
3. Mix the dosa batter well
4. Pour one ladle of batter into the tawa
5. Spread the batter using the ladle or moving the tawa slightly so that the batter spreads evenly.
6. Heat for few seconds and flip to the other side
7. Again heat for few seconds and take out the dosa from the tawa
5. Yummy soft and spongy aval dosa is ready to be served with fish curry or egg roast

Note: Do not allow the dosa to be in the tawa for long. Dosa will become dry.

Kana masala fry

Ingredients

    Ingredients for marination 

1. Kana fish - 500 gms
2. Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
4. Salt 

   Ingredients for the gravy

1. Shallots - 30 + 10
2. Tomato - 1 medium
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
4. Fenugreek powder - 1 tsp
5. Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tbsp
6. Tamarind - 1 gooseberry size
7. Curry leaves - 1 twig
8. Oil

 Procedure

1. Clean the fish well.
2. Marinate the fish using the ingredients for marination for 30 minutes.
3. Peel and cut shallots
4. Cut tomato into small pieces
5. Keep aside 10 shallots from this.
6. Pulse the remaining shallots, tomato, red chilli powder, fenugreek powder and ginger and garlic paste in a mixie.
7. In a pan, shallow fry the fish and keep it aside
1. Heat oil in the pan
2. Place the fish and fry one side for 2 minutes
3. Flip the fish to the other side.
4. Fry again for 2 minutes
8. In the same pan, add the cut shallots and curry leaves
9. Fry it till the shallots have browned.
10. Add the ground gravy paste
11. Stir and fry till the raw smell goes away.
12. Add the tamarind juice and salt to this and mix well.
13. Place the fried kana fish into this and cover with the gravy.
14. After a minutes, flip the fish carefully and again cover with gravy. Make sure the fish is completely covered.
15. After few more minutes when the gravy becomes almost dry, drizzle a bit of oil and some more curry leaves.
16. Yummy Kana masala fry is ready to be served with neer dosa or rice.

Appam - Kappi method

Ingredients

1. Rice (Pachari / Sona masoori) - 1 cup
2. Grated coconut -0.5 cup
3. Yeast - 0.5 tsp
4. Sugar - 2-3 tbsp (I normally use 3)
5. Soda powder - 0.5 tsp
6. Salt - a pinch
7. Coconut water - 1 cup
8. Water - 1 cup

Procedure

1. Soak rice for 3 hours minimum.
2. Grind rice with coconut water in a mixie. Add very less water and grind the rice well into a smooth paste.
3. Make Kappi using the ground rice
1. Heat a pan and add 2 tbsp from this ground rice.
2. Add one cup water to this.
3. Keep mixing this continuously.
4. When bubbles start coming in the mix switch off the flame
5. Allow this mix to cool
4. Add coconut, yeast, sugar and salt to the ground rice in the mixie.
5. Add the kappi from step 3 to the mixie 
6. Ground well into a smooth paste. 
7. Add the remaining coconut water and mix well.
8. Leave this batter overnight for fermenting
9. In the morning add soda powder to the fermented batter
10. Make Appam
1. Heat up the appam chatti / non-stick appam tawa
2. Brush the tawa with very little oil
3. Pour one laddle of batter
4. Swirl the tawa so that the batter sticks to the entire tawa. The central part will have more batter than the rest
5. Cover and cook for 1 minute
6. Open the cover and make sure that the appam is cooked well especially in the center
11. Serve the appam with vegetable stew or egg curry

Egg fry / Mezhukupuratti

Ingredients 

1. Egg - 4
2. Red chilli powder - 0.5 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder - 0.25 tbsp
4. Pepper powder - 0.25 tbsp
5. Coriander powder - 0.5 tbsp
6. Garam masala - 0.25 tbsp
7. Onion (optional) - 1 medium
8. Curry leaves - 1 twig
9. Salt
10. Oil - 2 tbsp
11. Water - 2 tbsp

Procedure

1. Make hard boiled egg
1. In a bowl, place the eggs
2. Pour water enough to cover the eggs
3. Add 1 tsp of salt to this.
4. Boil for 10 minutes
5. Remove the shell of the eggs and keep it aside.
2. Cut onion lengthwise into thin pieces.
3. In a pan, add red chilli, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, pepper powder and salt
4. Add 2 tbsp of water and 1 tbsp of oil and mix the powders well.
5. Cut eggs into two pieces
6. Place the eggs in the pan and cover with the powder mix
7. Fry this mix for few minutes by flipping the egg to either sides.
8. Add the cut onion to this and mix it with the masala
9. Add remaining oil and fry the onion well.
10. Add the curry leaves on top of this and fry for few more minutes
11. Yummy egg fry is ready to be served with rice or chapathi.

Chapathi

Ingredients 

1. Wheat flour - 1 cup + 1/4 cup for dusting
2. Water - 1/2 cup (approximately)
3. Oil - 1 tbsp
4. Salt

Procedure

1. In a pan, mix one cup of wheat flour and salt.
2. Add water little by little and knead well till the dough becomes smooth and little sticky. It should not be too sticky. Knead well for atleast 5 minutes using the palm of your hand. 
3. Keep it well covered for 30 minutes
4. Knead it again for few seconds
5. Break it into lemon sized balls. With the above mentioned proportion, at least 5 chappathis can be made.
6. Dust each dough ball with wheat flour 
7. Roll the ball into nice circle shape dough using a rolling pin on a chapathi board.
8. Heat tawa and when the surface is hot, brush oil
9. Place the dough on the tawa and heat for few seconds till you can see few bubbles on the top
10. Flip to the other side and gently press especially on the sides till brown spots appear.
11. Flip back one again. It will fluff up now.
12. Store it in a thermal container.
13. Serve this with egg curry or egg roast

Chicken biriyani (Thalassery style)

Ingredients

Ingredients for marination

1. Chicken - 250 gm
2. Salt
3. Lemon juice - 1 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 0.25 tsp
5. Red chilli powder - 0.5 tsp

Ingredients for chicken curry

1. Oil / Ghee - 3 tbsp
2. Red onion - 1 medium size
3. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp crushed
4. Green chilli - 2
5. Salt
6. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
7. Cumin powder - 0.25 tsp
8. Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
9. Tomato - 1 large
10. Yogurt / Curd - 0.25 cup
11. Coriander leaves - 0.5 cup
12. Mint leaves - 0.25 cup
13. Ghee - 1 tbsp
14. Coconut milk - 0.25 cup

Ingredients for biriyani masala

1. Fennel seed - 1 tsp
2. Poppy seed - 1 tsp
3. Cinnamon stick - 1 large 
4. Cloves - 6
5. Mace - 1 flower
6. Star anise - 1

Ingredients for ghee rice

1. Ghee - 3 tbsp
2. Mace - 0.5 piece
3. Fennel seed - 0.5 tsp
4. Pepper corn - 0.5 tsp
5. Cardamom - 3 no
6. Star anise - 1
7. Cinnamon stick - small
8. Curry leaves - a spring
9. Red onion - 1 small
10. Jeeraka shall rice - 1.25 cup 
11. Water - 2 cup

Ingredients for garnish

1. Ghee - 1 tbsp
2. Raisin - 1 tbsp
3. Cashew nuts - 15 no
4. Red onion - 1 medium

Procedure

1. Wash and clean the chicken well.
2. Marinate the chicken using the ingredients for 30 minutes
3. Ground biriyani masala and keep aside
4. Make chicken curry
1. Cut onion lengthwise
2. Make ginger garlic paste
3. Cut green chillies into small pieces
4. In a pan, heat oil / ghee 
5. Add onion and fry for few minutes 
6. Add ginger garlic paste
7. Add green chillies
8. Fry till onion starts to brown
9. Add red chilli, turmeric and cumin powder
10. Fry for few minutes till the raw smell goes away
11. Add the marinated chicken and stir
12. When chicken has turned white, add tomato and yogurt
13. Cook till water oozes from chicken and add coriander, mint, biriyani masala and ghee
14. Cover and cook in low to medium heat
15. When the chicken is cooked well, add coconut milk
16. Cook for 5 minutes
17. Chicken curry with gravy is ready.
5. Make ghee rice
1. Wash rice well.
2. Heat ghee in a pan.
3. Fry all the spices
4. Add onion and fry till it becomes transparent.
5. Add rice and fry for few minutes till all water has evaporated.
6. In a pressure cooker, boil the required water
7. Add salt
8. Add the rice and cook till one whistle.
9. Set aside cooked rice
6. Prepare the garnish. 
1. Cut onion lengthwise into very thin pieces
2. In a pan, heat ghee
3. Fry raisins till they bloat up. Remove and keep aside
4. Fry cashew till they just brown. Remove and keep aside
5. Fry onion till they brown. It should not become black.
7. Layer the biriyani
1. In a heavy bottom pan, add chicken curry
2. Then add a layer of rice
3. Garnish with coriander
4. Add another layer of chicken curry
5. Add a layer of rice
6. Garnish with fried cashew, raisins and onion
7. Close the pan with a lid. Place something heavy on top of the lid to seal the pan well.
8. Heat an old tawa on high heat
9. Add the pan with the layered biriyani on top
10. Seal well using a heavy lid
11. Heat for 15 minutes in medium flame
12. Yummy Thalassery style chicken biriyani is ready to be served with raita and papad.

Note: For layering and further heating, I normally use a pressure cooker instead of a pan. After layering, the pressure cooker is closed with the lid and the whistle. 

Meen mulakittathu

Ingredients 

1. Ayala / seer fish - 250 gm
2. Ginger - 1 inch piece
3. Garlic - 5
4. Shallot - 15 
5. Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
6. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
8. Kudampuli / Gamboge - 2 pieces
9. Tomato - 1 medium
10. Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tbsp
11. Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
12. Mustard - 1 tsp
13. Fenugreek - 1 tsp
14. Water - 2 cups

Note: Kashmiri red chilli powder will give a red colour to the curry. If the curry needs to be more spicy, add 1/2 tbsp of red chilli powder to it.

Procedure

1. Clean the fish well. Apply salt and leave for few minutes to remove the smell.
2. Cut shallot, ginger and garlic into thin pieces.
3. Put kudampuli in water for 10 minutes
4. Cut tomato into thin pieces lengthwise.
5. Mix red chilli and turmeric powder with 1 tbsp of water.
6. In a pan or manchatti, add oil
7. Add fenugreek
8. When fenugreek has browned, add the shallot, ginger and garlic.
9. When the shallot has browned, add tomato to this.
10. When tomato has become mushy, add the spice mix and stir for a minute
11. Add kudampuli and two cups of water
12. When the curry starts to boil, add the fish
13. Cover and cook for 10 minutes
14. Add fenugreek powder and mix lightly. Make sure not to break the fish
15. Drizzle coconut oil and add curry leaves over the curry
16. Yummy meen mulakittathu is ready to be served with rice.

Recipe and pic courtesy: My dear sister-in-law Chinthu!

Netholi / Anchovies mulakittathu

Ingredients 

1. Netholi - 250 gm
2. Ginger - 1 inch piece
3. Garlic - 5
4. Shallot - 15 
5. Red chilli powder - 1.5 tbsp
6. Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
8. Tamarind - 1 lemon size
9. Fenugreek powder - 1/2 tbsp
10. Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
11. Mustard - 1 tsp
12. Fenugreek - 1 tsp
13. Water - 2 cups

Note: Instead of chilli powder, a combination of kashmiri red chilli (1 tbsp) and normal chilli (1 tbsp) can be used. Kashmiri red chilli powder will give a red colour to the curry.

Procedure

1. Clean the anchovies well. Remove the bone if possible. Apply salt and leave for few minutes to remove the smell.
2. Cut shallot, ginger and garlic into thin pieces.
3. Squeeze tamarind in the water and extract the juice.
4. In a pan or manchatti, add oil
5. Splutter mustard and add fenugreek
6. When fenugreek has browned, add the shallot, ginger and garlic.
7. Mix red chilli, coriander and turmeric powder with 1 tbsp of water.
8. When the shallot has browned, add this spice water and mix for a minute
9. Add tamarind juice to this mix
10. When the curry starts to boil, add the anchovies
11. Cover and cook for 8 minutes
12. Add the fenugreek powder and mix lightly. Make sure not to break the fish
13. Drizzle coconut oil and add curry leaves over the curry
14. Yummy netholi mulakittathu is ready to be served with rice.

Note: Netholi fish will cook very fast. Hence, please check the curry when the fish is cooking.

Netholi / Anchovies peera

Ingredients 

1. Netholi - 250 gm
2. Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
3. Ginger - 1 inch 
4. Shallot - 10
5. Coconut - 1 cup
6. Green chillis - 2
7. Mango (optional) - half of a raw mango de-skinned
8. Drum stick (optional) - 1
9. Kudampuli - 1 piece or tamarind - 1 small goose berry size
10. Curry leaves - 1 twig
11. Water -1 tbsp
12. Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure

1. Clean the fish well. Apply salt and keep for few minutes to remove the smell.
2. Clean and cut drum stick.
3. De-skin the mango and cut half of the mango into small pieces.
4. Cut drumstick into small pieces.
5. If using kudampuli soak it in half cup water for 10 minutes
6. If using tamarind, squeeze the juice of the tamarind using half cup of water.
7. Pulse the red chilli powder, ginger,  shallot and coconut.
8. Heat a pan or manchatti.
9. Add pulsed coconut in the step 7 to the pan.
10. Add netholi / anchovies into this.
11. Add drum stick, green chilli, cut mango pieces, kudampuli or tamarind juice, curry leaves and oil. 
12. Add very little water.
13. Boil for 10 minutes in low flame. Mix the peera in between.
14. Finally drizzle coconut oil and curry leaves.

Moong dal halwa

Ingredients

Serves: 6

1. Moong dal - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1.5 cup
3. Ghee - 9-10 tbsp  
4. Cardamom - 4
5. Water - 2 cup 
6. Milk - 1 cup 
7. Almonds - 2 tbsp 
8. Cashew - 2 tbsp 

Procedure

1. Soak moong dal in water for 4-5 hrs
2. Drain and grind it with 1/4 cup water
3. Melt ghee in non-stick pan. 
4. Add ground moong dal. Stir well.
5. Keep stirring on low flame
6. Meanwhile when halwa is cooking, in another pan take milk, water and sugar. Heat this mixture till it comes to boil.
7. Now add this milk, water and sugar mixture to moong dal paste. The paste at this time should be light golden in colour.
8. Lastly add cardamom powder, nuts and almonds.
9. Moong dal halwa ready!

Note: Recipe courtesy to my little niece Keerthi who prepared this yummy halwa.