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.

Prawn theeyal

Ingredients 

1. Prawns - 250 gms
2. Green chilli - 1
3. Ginger - 1 inch piece
4. Shallot - 20
5. Garlic - 5 
6. Grated coconut - 1.5 cup
7. Red chilli powder - 2.5 tbsp
8. Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
10. Tomato - 1 medium
11. Tamarind - 1 lemon size
12. Coconut oil - 3 tbsp
13. Mustard - 1 tsp
14. Red chilli - 1 
15. Shallot for tempering- 3
16. Curry leaves - 1 twig

Procedure

1. Clean the prawn nicely and devein it.
2. Cut ginger, garlic and shallot into small pieces
3. Cut green chilli lengthwise
4. Heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil in a pan
5. Add grated coconut, ginger, garlic and shallot and fry till the coconut turns deep brown colour
6. Add red chilli and coriander powder and fry for another 2 minutes
7. Grind the coconut mix without adding water. 
8. Add 2 tbsp of water once the oil appears in the ground coconut mix.
9. Squeeze tamarind in a cup f water.
10. In a vessel, cook prawn in tamarind juice, cut tomato, green chillies, salt and turmeric powder for 6-7 minutes
11. Add the ground coconut to this mix and heat for another 5 minutes.
12. Add more salt if required
13. Temper the theeyal
1. Splutter mustard
2. Add fenugreek
3. When fenugreek has browned, add shallots, red chilli and curry leaves
4. When shallots have browned, add this to the cooked theeyal.
14. Yummy prawn theeyal is ready to be served with rice.

Pic courtesy: My husband Madhu