Ethakka Appam / Pazham Pori / Banana Fritters/Boli

Ingredients

1.Well ripened Plantains/Nannai vilanju pazhutha Etha pazham - 6 nos
2.All purpose flour/Maida- 1 cup
3.Sugar -1 1/2 tsp
4.Salt- 1/4 tsp 
5.Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
6.Water -1 cup
7.baking powder -a pinch (optional)
8.Oil -as required to deep fry

Preparation of  batter

Mix Maida,baking powder,turmeric powder,sugar and salt together.Add water little by little and make a smooth  thick dough.The dough should not be too thick or too loose.

Preparation

1.Cut the  bananas vertically  in to 4 pieces.

2.Heat oil in a pan.

3.Dip the bananas in the above mixture and deep fry until golden brown on both sides.

4.Drain the excess oil and Serve hot.

Sukhiyan/Sugiyan

Ingredients for filling

1.Moong Dal/Cherupayar - 1/4 kg 

2.Jaggery - 250 gram or as required

3.Grated coconut- 1 1/2 cup

4.Cardamom powder-1 tsp

5.Oil- to fry

Ingredients for the batter

1.Maida/All purpose flour -2 cup

2.Water- 1 1/4 cup

3.Salt -as required

4.Turmeric powder - a pinch

5.Egg-1 (optional)

6.Baking powder -1/4 tsp(optional)

7.Coconut powder/coconut milk -1/2 cup (optional)

Preparation of the filling

1.Soak the moong dal in water for about 4 hours.

2.Cook  the moong dal with little water (approx. 1/2 cup water to 1 cup moong dal) Don't over cook the  dal.Dal should be in its original texture ,you should not mash it.Open the lid  and stir for an additional 2 minutes to evaporate any excess water.

3.Melt jaggery with ¼ cup of water. Strain to remove any impurities .

4.Heat a big pan and add the melted jaggery to it.Add the grated coconut .Let the coconut cook well in the jaggery syrup.Stir continuously and cook until the mixture is close to thick.

5.Add the cooked moong dal to the above mixture.Continue stirring until the mixture turns into a thick paste and separates easily from the base of the pan .

6.Add cardamom powder and keep it aside.

7.Allow it to cool.You should be able to round it up with hands.

Preparation of  the dipping batter

1.Add 1/4 tsp baking powder to 2 cup Maida/All purpose flour. Add enough salt for the batter.

2.Add a pinch of turmeric powder to get a nice color.

2.Add coconut milk to better taste.Mix well.

3.To make the batter more soft add 1 egg and mix well in 1 cup of water.The batter will not be too loose or too thick.

4.Mix well to remove any lumps..

Tips:baking powder will  prevent the batter from absorbing too much oil. 

Preparation of Sugiyan

1.Heat oil in a pan to deep fry

2.Make small balls from the coconut mixture and keep aside

3.Dip each ball in the batter and deep fry them in hot oil till it turns out to be golden brown.

4.Turn over after one side is done.

5.Drain on a tissue paper.  Set aside till warm enough to relish.

Kadala Curry /Channa Curry

Ingredients

Black Chickpeas/Channa/Kadala -1 cup
Dry Red chilies - 4 nos
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
Coconut slices -1 handfull
Ginger paste-1tsp
Garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Thinly sliced Onions-1 and a half
Tomato- 1/2
curry leaves -1 spring
Salt -as required



















Ingredients To roast and grind to paste

Grated Cocunut - 1 cup
Coriander Powder -2 tsp full
Chilly powder -2 tsp
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Garam masala- a small tsp
Chicken masala/Meat masala - 1 1/2 tsp(optional)
Salt-as required
Channa - say ,10 nos (optional)


Roast and grind to paste

Heat oil in a pan
Add 1 cup grated cocunut saute well for 3 minutes
Add 2 tsp coriander powder,2 tsp chilli powder,1 1/2 tsp chicken masala or meat masala,1/4 tsp turmeric powder,a small tsp garam masala ,enough salt and stir well.

Saute and fry the cocunut very well until it become very crispy and dark brown colour.If the cocunut has fried well,you will get a very nice aroma and also you can see some oil on top of the coconut.

To thicken the gravy,finally add approx,7-10nos of chickpeas to the pan (optional) and fry together(1 or 2 minutes) with the coconut.

Keep the mix aside and allow it to cool.Grind the mixture in a blender adding enough water to make a paste and keep aside.


Preparation


Soak the black chickpeas overnight.
Heat oil in a pan
Splutter mustard seeds
Add dry Red chilies
Now add the cocunut slices and fry  till it changes color.
Add ginger(1tsp) and garlic(1/2tsp) paste
Add thinly sliced onions and fry well
Now add 1/2 of a tomato
Add curry leaves
Add channa/kadala and enough salt.

Now add the ground paste and stir well.
Add enough water and pressure cook  in medium flame and turn off the flame in  the first whizzle.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

How to Caramelize Sugar

Caramelize Sugar

Ingredients

Sugar -1 cup
Water -1/4 cup
Lemon juice - 1 drop (optional)

The water will slow down the whole cooking process That's good.This will prevent the sugar from scorching.

The lemon juice will also  prevent the mixture from hardening.

Preparation

Add 1 cup of  sugar , quarter (1/4) cup of water and a drop of lemon juice to a heavy clean sauce pan (stainless steel is preferred) on a low to medium heat.

Stir only a few times until the sugar dissolves in the water.The mixture will turn to a clear liquid at this point.

If you keep stiring after this point,the mixture will start to crystalize and you have to start again.

When the sugar reaches a uniform light golder colour,take if off the heat immediately and use or pour it in to another cold cup.Otherwise it will continue to cook and burn.

NOTE: If you think it’s close to being done but are scared of burning it, you can take it off the heat and it will finish due to the residual heat.

Cheera thoran/Spinach stir - fry

Ingredients

1.Cheera - 3 cups

2.Grated cocunut - 1 cup

3.Kunjulli/Shallots - 1/2 cup

4.Green chilies -4

5.Garlic -1 piece crushed

6.Cumin powder -a pinch

7.Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

8.Dry red chilies -3 

9.Salt -as required

10.Curry leaves-as required

11.Oil -3 tsp

Preparation

1.Chop the Cheera /Spinach very well.

2.Crush grated coconut,shallots,green chilies,garlic, turmeric powder and cumin powder
3.Add the above mixture to the chopped cheera and mix well with hands

4.Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds .Add curry leaves,small onions  and red chilies

5.Add the cheera and stir well .Cover the lid and cook in a low-medium flame.

6.When its done,open the lid and saute for a couple of minutes or till it is dry and done.

Bitter gourd stir-fry /Pavakka Thoran

Ingredients

1.Onion-1

2.Bitter gourd - 2  or 250gm

3.Coconut-  1/2 of one coconut
4.Green chillies-5

5.Shallots/Kunjulli -1/2 cup
6.Coconut oil-3 tsp

7.Mustard seeds-as required
8.Curry leaves-as required
9.Salt-as required 

10.Dry red chilies-4

11.Garlic-1 pod

Preparation

1.Cut the bitter gourd in to small pieces, mix with salt and keep aside

2.Crush together grated coconut,small onions and green chilies
3.Add the above ingredients to the bitter gourd and mix well with hand
4.Heat Oil in a pan,splutter mustard seeds, add red chilies and curry leaves

5.Add the bitter gourd and cook in a low-medium flame. Keep it covered

6.Add 1 piece crushed garlic and enough salt.

7.Open the lid and saute the bitter gourd for few more minutes

8.Serve with rice

Semiya Payasam

Cup Cake

Pineapple Pachadi/Madhura curry

Burfi

Idli /Dosa

Ingredients

1.Rice - 2 1/4 cups

2.Urad dal/Uzhunnu-1 cup
3.Salt-as required
4.Uluva/Fenugreek seeds - 1tsp

Preparation

1.Wash the rice and dal
2.Soak rice and dal seperately for at least 6 hours

3.When the rice and dal  is smooth enough to grind,
4.Grind the rice,uluva and dal separately by adding very little water

5.Mix the grinded rice and dal together in to a batter
6. Keep it  overnight (6-8 hours) for fermentation.
(tip:In some cold countries it is difficult to ferment the batter.Preheat the oven to 110 degree  Fahrenheit.Switch off the oven and keep the batter in it.

7.Add salt and stir well.
8. Apply oil /spray some non-stick cooking spray in the idli thattu(idli plate) and pour a spoon full of fermented batter to the plates.

9.Make Idli's in high flame.
10.Have it with Sambar [http://annshealthykitchen.blogspot.com/search?q=sambar]  and Chammanthi [http://annshealthykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/04/thenga-chammanthicoconut-chutneythenga.html]

Pidi

Ingredients

1.Roasted rice flour /aripodi -2 cups
2.Grated Coconut - 2 cups
3.Cumin powder  - 3 - 4 tsp
4.Crushed garlic- 7-10 pods
5.Curry leaves-2 stem
6.Salt-as required

Preparation

1.Boil water.
2.In a skillet, lightly roast the rice flour and keep it aside.
3.Roast the coconut very lightly just to remove the extra water from the grated coconut.
4.Grind the garlic.
5.Add the grated coconut,salt ,cumin powder and garlic to the roasted rice powder and mix well.

6.Add boiled water little by little and knead it using a spatula to make a smooth dough.
7.When it is warm enough to handle knead the dough very well by hand.
8.The consistency of the dough should be same as that of Idiyappam dough.

9.Make small balls from the dough.

10.Pour some roasted rice flour on the balls so they won't stick together.Later you can add this rice flour also to the boiled water.

11.Boil 2 - 4 cups of water with salt
12.Add curry leaves
13.Put the balls in to the boiled water
14.Add boiled water if water is not in the level of Pidi.
15.Cook it in low-medium flame with the lid closed.
(tip from mom : If the gravy is not thick,mix some roasted rice flour in boiled water and add to the boiled water)
16.Allow it to cool.
17.Serve with Chicken curry.
 (tip:For better taste, you can add coconut milk also to the boiling water.)

Manga Chammanthi (Manga Chutney)

This is a very easy but delicious dish.

Ingredients


Green mangoes -1/2 (depends on the sourness of the mango ,you can change the quantity )
Grated Coconut - 4 -5 tsp
Green chilies -5
Small onion/Shallots(Kunjulli) -3-5
Curry leaves - 2 or 3
Salt -as required
Ginger(1/4 inch)(optional)

Preparation

Cut all the ingredients in to small pieces.

Grind the above ingredients in the small jar of the mixer without water.

Banana Kumbilappam

Kumbilappam (Chakka ada/Poocha puzhungiyathu) is a very delicious tea-time snack in Kerala.Usually Kumbilappam is made from ripen jack fruit and wrap in edana ela.Since I don't have jackfruit available I am using ripened bananas instead of jack fruit and banana leaf instead of edana ela.You can also try this with ripen papaya.

Ingredients

Roasted rice -1 cup

Overripe bananas/well Ripened bananas -6

Jaggery -1 cup (as required)

Cumin powder-1/2 tsp

Cardamom-1/2 tsp

Grated Coconut- 1/2cup
Salt -a pinch(optional)
Banana leaf -as required

1.Roast the rice well.

2.Cut all the bananas and grind it well in a mixer.

3.Pour this mixture in to a pan and stir in medium flame.

4.After 5 minutes add the grated jaggery and stir well.

5.Add the grated coconut ,cumin powder and stir well.

6.Check the sweetness and add more jaggery if required.

6.Stir well until the mixture thickens

7. Add the cardamom powder and switch off the flame.

8.When the mixture has cooled enough to handle,add roasted rice little by little and mix well.

9.Knead the dough well.The dough should be smooth and soft.It should not be too loose or too thick.

10.Divide the banana leaves into small pieces (Size of the leaves - width:1 palm and height: 2 palms)

11.Spread the dough on the banana leaf and fold it.

12.In an appachembu steam all the kumbilappam for around 20-30 minutes

Serve warm.

Kerala Sambar

Sambar is a vegetable stew made with tamarind and vegetables, and is very popular in the cooking of southern regions of India especially in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Each state in South India prepares it with a typical variation, adapted to its taste and environment.

Ingredients

1.Sambar parippu(dal)- 1 cup

2.Chembu(Taro) -2 or 3

3.Potato-2

4.Payar(Long beans)-10-12 nos

5.Beans -10-12 nos

6.Green chilly-5-7

7.Carrot-1

8.Snake gourd(padavalanga)-1

9.Pumpkin(mathanga)-1 piece

10.Tindora(Kovakkai)-15

11.Onion-1 small

12.plantain(Ethakka)-1

13.Tomato-1 small

14.Lady's finger(Vendakka)

15.Drumsticks(Muringakka)

16.Turmeric powder(1/4tsp)

17-Sambar powder-4-5 tsp

18.Asafoetida(Kayam)-2 pinch

19.Chilly powder-1/2 tsp

20.Coriander powder-1tsp

You can add cauliflower,Yam(chena) etc to the sambar.If you don't have all these vegetables available,don't worry.You can also make sambar with only one veggie.

Preparation

1.Soak 1 cup dal for 30 minutes

2.Soak 1tsp tamarind in hot water

3.Cut all the vegetables.

4.Put the items from 1-12 in to a pressure cooker.
5.Heat up 2 tsp sambar powder ,1 tsp coriander powder,1 tsp uluva powder, a pinch of turmeric
   powder,2 or 3 pinch of kayam and put it in to the pressure cooker along with the vegetables.

6.Add salt stir well. The water level should be slightly less than the level of the vegetables.

7.Close the lid and cook it in medium flame

8.Turn off the heat as soon as the first whistle blows.

9.open the pressure cooker when all the steam inside gets released.

10.Add the tomato,lady's finger(Vendakka) and drumsticks to the cooker.

11.Add 1/2 glass water ,close the lid and cook it in high flame ,till all the vegetables become soft.

12.Now pour the tamarind juice ,salt and stir well.(Oru nellikka valuppathinte thazhe puli eduthu water l ettu vekkuka.puli neeru strain cheythu ozhikkuka.water eduthittu ,discard the tamarind)

13. Add enough water close the lid and boil for 5 more minutes.

14.Garnish with coriander leaves.