Almond Dates Milk Shake / Badam Dates Milk Shake

A healthy drink

INGREDIENTS:

• Almonds - 10 nos
• Dates - 6 nos
• Milk(chilled milk) - 1 cup
• Sugar - ½ tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak bedam in water and remove the skin.
• Blend  badam, dates, suger and ¼ cup milk smoothly.
• Add the remaining milk and blend the mixture together. 

Unniyappam

Unniyappam is a traditional and a popular snack in kerala.

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw rice Flour - 2 cup
• Jaggery - 3/4 cup
• Small banana(palayan kodan pazham)- 2 nos
• Ghee - 2 Tbsp
• Coconut slices(nicely cut) - 2 tbsp
• Cumin seed - ½ tsp
• Sesame seed- ½ tsp
• Coconut Oil for frying
• Unniyappam maker(appa kara)

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Dilute Jaggery by adding little water into it and filter it.  
• Heat 1 Tbsp ghee and fry coconut slices, cumin seed and sesame seed in it.
• Add 1 Tbsp Ghee to the rice flour and mix well.
• Squeeze banana into the rice flour with hand very well and keep aside for an hour.
• After 1 hour add filtered jaggery and fried sesonings into it and mix it well.
• Make it a smooth batter like dosa batter. (If the batter is too thick add little water)
• Pour oil into appa kara (unniyappam maker) until moulds are completely filled and heat it.
• Pour batter in each mould. (3/4 portion of the mould)
• Deep fry in medium heat. 
• When one side is cooked, turn and cook the other side till it turns brown colour.
• Remove from oil, drain it and serve.

Strawberry Milk

It is made with fresh strawberries and whole or skimmed milk. It is a healthier drink for adults and kids.

INGREDIENTS:

• Strawberry – 12 nos
• Sugar – 1 Tbsp 
• Milk – 1 cup

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Blend  Strawberries and suger smoothly.
• Add milk(chilled milk) and blend the mixture together. 

Chembu Upperi / Taro Root Chips

Fried Taro Root - a teatime snack

INGREDIENTS:

• Taro Root / Chembu - 6 nos
• Turmeric Powder -¼ tsp
• Salt water- to taste
• Oil for frying 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Remove the Taro root skin.
• Wash and drain it.
• Slice the root in thin round shape.
• Add turmeric powder into it and mix well.
• Heat Oil in a pan.
• When it boils, Put the slices slowly into the oil.
• Stir until fully cooked and crisp.
• Remove the chips from the oil and sprinkle salt water on it.
• Cool and store them in an airtight container.

Unakka Munthiri Chutney / Raisin Chutney

Raisins are good sources of energy, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.It is a  good practice to include raisins in our daily diet.

INGREDIENTS:

• Raisin - ½ cup 
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry ball size
• Pearl Onion - 2 nos 
• Red Chilly - 3 nos
• Curry leaves - 2- 3 leaves
• Coconut Oil - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Roast Red Chillies in a pan(with out oil) till it becomes crisp.
• Soak the raisin in little water for 2 -3 minutes.
• Grind Raisin, Tamarind, Red Chilly, Pearl Onion, curry leaves and Salt together to a fine paste.
• Add coconut oil to the Chutney and mix well. 

Recommended Combination: Serve with Idli / Dosa / Chappathi .

Bread Egg Upma

It is a complete meal.It contains Vegetables, Bread and Egg. It can be served as breakfast or as snack.

INGREDIENTS:

• Bread slices - 4 nos
• Onion(chopped) – 1 no
• Tomato (chopped) – 1 no
• Green chilly(chopped) – 2 nos
• Ginger(chopped) - ½ tsp
• Carrot(grated) - 1 no
• Garam Masala Powder - ¼ tsp
• Egg - 2 nos
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 stem
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1½ tbsp
• Chopped corriander leaves - 1 tbsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Beat eggs with salt.
• Heat ½ Tbsp of oil in a pan.
• Add the beaten egg and scramble it.
• Keep it aside.
• Remove the edges of each bread slice and cut it into small pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chilli and let it splutter.
• Add onion, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves.
• Sauté it until onion turns translucent.
• Add grated carrot and chopped tomato and saute well.
• Add garam masala and salt and saute for a minute. 
• Sprinkle little water and cover the pan.
• Let it cook in a medium heat.
• When the vegetables are cooked well and the water dries up, add the bread pieces and mix well. 
• Add the scrambled egg into it and mix well.
• Garnish with corriander leaves.

Dates Pickle / Eenthappazham Achar

 Healthy and tasty Pickle.

INGREDIENTS:

• Pitted dates(eenthappazham) - 20 nos
• Lemon - 2 nos
• Raisin(unakka munthiri) - 1 handful
• Chopped Ginger - 1 tsp
• Garlic(sliced)- 2 nos
• Gingely Oil - ½ cup
• Chilly Powder - 2 - 3 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp
• Asafoetida Powder - ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 stem
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cut the lemon into small pieces.
• Cut each dates into two pieces.
• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Put Mustard seed into the Oil and let it splutter.
• Add curry leaves and fry it.
• Add Ginger and Garlic and saute well.
• Add raisins and saute for a minute.
• Add Chilly powder, Fenugreek powder and Asafoetida Powder to the hot Oil and saute for a minute.
• Add Lemon pieces and Salt and saute well for 5 minutes.
• Cook till the Lemon skin becomes soft.
• Finally add dates, mix well and cook for 2 -3 minutes.
• Remove pan from fire and allow to cool.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Rice / Chappathi / Dosa /poori/ Biriyani.

Dates Chutney / Eenthappazham Chutney

Dates are rich in several vitamins and minerals.Intake of a date daily gives a balanced and healthy diet.
You can include dates in your diet through a variety of dishes like eenthappazham chutney.
It differs from other chutney  by its sweet-tangy taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• Pitted dates - 6 nos
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry ball size
• Pearl Onion - 2 nos 
• Red Chilly- 3 nos(or according to your taste)
• Curry leaves - 2- 3 leaves
• Coconut Oil - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Roast Red Chillies in a pan(with out oil) till it becomes crisp.
• Soak the dates in little water for 2 -3 minutes.
• Grind the  Dates,  Tamarind, Red Chilly, Pearl Onion, curry leaves and Salt together to a fine paste.
• Add coconut oil to the Chutney and mix well. 

Recommended Combination: Serve with  Dosa / Chappathi / Vegetable Pulav

Spicy Bread Masala

This is a dish which can be easily and quickly prepared using bread. This hot and spicy dish can be served during breakfast. Kids will love this if you reduce the spiciness .

INGREDIENTS:

• Bread slices - 4 nos
• Onion(sliced) – 1 no
• Tomato (chopped) – 1 no
• Green chilly(slit) – 2 nos
• Ginger garlic paste - ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – ½ tsp
• Turmeric Powder - ¼ tsp
• Pepper Powder - ¼ tsp
• Chilly powder – ¼ tsp
• Fennel seed Powder - ¼ tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - ¼ tsp
• Egg - 2 nos
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 stem
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1 ½ Tbsp
• Chopped corriander leaves

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Slightly toast each bread slice and cut it into small pieces.
• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Add Mustard seeds and Red chilli and let it splutter.
• Add sliced onion, gingergarlic paste, green chillies and curry leaves.
• Sauté it until onion turns translucent.
• Add chilly powder, turmeric powder, corriander powder, garam masala,fennelseed powder, pepper powder and saute for a minute. 
• Add chopped tomato and salt, saute well and cook very well in medium heat.(dont add water, the water in the tomato is enough to cook the ingredients)
• when the water dries up and oil oozes from the masala, add eggs and keep stirring continuously.
• When the masala(egg and masala) is almost dry, add bread pieces and mix well.
• Remove it from the fire when it is dry completely.
• Garnish with chopped corriander leaves.

Naadan Cheera Aviyal

Cheera or Spinach is a leafy vegetable which is a rich source of iron.
It is prepared using cooked Cheera with Coconut paste. We can use Mango or Curd instead of Tamarind syrup for sourness.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chopped Spinach/Chuvanna Cheera(Leaves and Stem) - 2 cup
• Red chilly powder - ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
• Shallot -2 nos
• Raw Mango - ¼ of a mango
• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Chopped Spinach in water along with Chilly powder, Turmeric Powder and Salt.
• Grind together Coconut and Shallot to paste.
• When Spinach is cooked well add Mango cuts and cook for few minutes.
• Add Coconut paste into it and cook for 2 minutes.
• Remove from Fire and add Coconut Oil and mix well.

(If you are using curd for sour taste, add it just before removing the dish from the stove - do not boil curd).

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice.

Chakka Puzhukku

Chakka Puzhukku is a traditonal dish in Kerala.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chopped Unripe jackfruit - 3 cup 
• Grated coconut - 1 ½ cup 
• Cumin seeds  - ¼ tsp 
• Turmeric powder -½ tsp
• Garlic - 2 nos
• Green chillies -  3 or 4 nos
• Curry leaves - 2 stems
• Coconut oil - 1½  tbsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook the chopped jackfruit with little water, salt and turmeric powder.
• Crush the coconut, green chillies, garlic and cumin seeds (without water). 
• Add the ground coconut mixture to the cooked jackfruit(water almost dries up) and mash well. 
• Let it cook for a minute and remove from the fire.
• Add curry leaves and coconut oil and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with kanji and mango pickle or with fish curry.

Chuttaracha Chammandi

Chuttaracha Chammandi is a tasty and traditional side dish for Rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Coconut(with shell) - ½ of the coconut 

                   OR

• Coconut slices -1 cup 
• Red chilly - 4 nos
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry ball size
• Pearl Onion - 2 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt - to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Detach the coconut from the shell and cut it in to medium pieces .
• Roast the coconut(without oil) till golden brown .
• (we can roast the coconut pieces directly over burning charcoal or in a pan.)
• Roast Red Chillies in a pan(with out oil) till it becomes crisp.
• Grind all the ingredients together without using water.

Recommended Combination: Chammandi can be served with Rice or kanji.

Cheera Thoran / Spinach Stir fry

Cheera / Spinach Thoran is a simple and nutritious dish which is good for health.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely Chopped Red Spinach (chuvanna cheera) - 2cups
• Grated coconut - ½ Cup
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Rice - 1 tsp
• Garlic - 1 nos
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Oil - as needed
• Salt - to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Add Mustard seeds and Red chilli and let it splutter.
• Add Rice and fry it.
• Once rice becomes crispy add Spinach / Cheera,salt,turmeric powder.
• Cover the pan and cook for 2 mins.
• Crush Coconut,Garlic and chilly powder and add to it.
• Mix well and slow down the flame and stir well till the water dries up completely.
• Remove from fire.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice.

Cabbage Daal Curry

Cabbage Daal curry is a delicious and easy to make dish. Combination of daal and vegetable makes this curry nutritious.

INGREDIENTS:

• Toor daal - 2 tbsp
• Chopped onion - ½ cup 
• Chopped cabbgae - 1 cup
• Green chilly - 2  nos
• Tomato - 1 no
• Turmeric powder -¼ tsp
• Grated coconut -½ cup 
• Garlic -1 nos
• Cumin seed -¼ tsp
• Coconut Oil- 1tbsp
• Curry leaves-a few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook toor dal with water, chopped onion, green chilly and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker for 5-6 whistle. 
• Add chopped cabbage and tomato along with salt and let it cook.
• Grind coconut, garlic and cumin seeds to a fine paste.
• Add this paste to the cooked dal and vegetables and let it boil. 
• When it starts boil, turn off the stove and add coconut oil and curry leaves.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice / Chappathi / Dosa / Poori

Carrot Cherupayar Thoran / Carrot Green Gram Stir Fry

Carrot and Green gram are good for health. The combination of these two results in a delicious and nutritious dish also.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely chopped Carrot – ½ cup
• Finely chopped Onion – 3 tbsp
• Roundly cut Green Chillies - 6 nos
• Grated Coconut – ½ cup
• Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
• Moong Daal / Cherupayar - ½ cup
• Cumin seeds- pinch
• Garlic - 1 nos
• Chilly powder - ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red chillies - 2 nos
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Moong Daal/ Cherupayar in a Pressure cooker with Turmeric Powder and Water for 3 -4 whistle.
• Crush Coconut, Cumin seed, Chilly Powder and Garlic.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red Chillies, allow to splutter.
• Add Onions and Green chillies , sauté until transparent.
• Add carrot into it.
• Add turmeric powder,little water and salt.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for 5 -7 mins .
• Add Cooked Beans/ Moong Daal to it and mix well.
• Cook Carrot and Beans together for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Add the crushed Coconut and mix well.
• Add Curry leaves and stir for 2 minutes and remove from fire.

Recommended Combination: It can be served with Rice / Chappathi.

Vendakka Thoran / Okra Stir Fry

Okra / Ladies Finger is an ideal vegetable for weight loss.The fiber of okra has many superior qualities in maintaining the health of the gastro-intestinal tract.
Vendakka Thoran / Okra Stir Fry is a delicious thoran which can be served with rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chopped Vendakka/ Ladies Finger / Okra- 1 cup
• Green Chilly (slit) - 2 nos
• Chopped Onion - 2 tbsp
• Grated Coconut - ¼ cup
• Curry leaves - 1 stem
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Red Chilly- 2 nos
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - As required

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Add Mustard seeds and Red Chilli and let it splutter.
• Add Chopped Onion and saute till translucent.
• Add chopped Okra and Green Chilli and saute it.
• Add Salt and Turmeric powder to it.
• Stir well and slow down the flame and let it cook.
• When Okra is cooked well add grated coconut and curry leaves.
• Stir for 2 minutes and remove from fire.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice

Soya Biriyani

INGREDIENTS:

• Basmati rice – 2 cup
• Soya Chunks - 2 cup
• Chopped onions – 2 cup
• Tomato (chopped) – 1 no
• Diced Carrot and Peas– 1 cup 
• Green chilly – 2 nos
• Chopped Ginger - 1 tsp
• Chopped Garlic – 1 tsp
• Chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - ¼ tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Fennel seed Powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon – 2 one inch stick
• Cardamom – 3 nos
• Cloves – 3 nos
• Bay leaves – 2 nos
• Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 cup
• Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Thinly sliced Onion - ½ cup 
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Wash and soak rice for 10 mins and then drain it. 
• Soak soya chunks in hot water for 15 minutes.
• Drain the chunks and put them in cold water.
• squeeze the chunks out of water and keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottomed Pan.
• Fry thinly sliced onions(for garnishing) until golden brown and remove it and keep it aside.
• Add the remaining Ghee and fry cinnamon, cardamom and cloves together for a minute. 
• Crush  chopped Garlic and Ginger with Green Chillies .
• Add this to the pan along with chopped Onion and saute till translucent.
• Add chopped tomato and saute well.
• Add chili powder, coriander powder, fennel seed powder, turmeric Powder and garam masala and saute till the raw smell goes.
• Add Soya chunks, carrot and peas to it.
• Add ¼ cup water and salt to it and let it cook for 5 minutes.
• Add mint leaves and cilantro to it and cook for a minute.
• Add drained rice into it and mix well.
• Add 4 cups of water, salt(to taste) and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook.
• Remove from fire when the rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed.
• Garnish the Biryani with fried onion and chopped corriander leaves.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chicken Curry / pickle.

Mambazham Pachadi / Mango Pachadi

Ripe Mango can be used to make Mambazha Pachadi.

INGREDIENTS:

• Ripened Mango(Finely chopped) - 1 cup
• Grated coconut - ½ cup
• Green chillies(roundly cut) - 4 nos
• Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp
• Curd - 2 cup
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chilly - 2 nos
• Sliced Shallot - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek Powder- a pinch
• Water - ¼ cup
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt - to taste
• Coconut Oil -1 tsp 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook chopped mango and green chilly in water along with salt. 
• Mash the cooked mango with a spoon.
• Grind the coconut and cumin seeds to a fine paste.
• Add this paste to the cooked Mango.
• When it starts boil, turn off the stove and allow to cool.
• Add curd to the mixture and stir well.
• Heat oil in a Pan.
• Add mustrard seeds and red chillies into it, allow to Splutter.
• Add sliced shallot and fry it.
• Pour the seasoning over the pachadi and add curry leaves .
• Sprinkle fenugreek powder and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Rice.

Beetroot Cherupayar Thoran / Beetroot Moong daal Stir Fry

Beetroot Cherupayar thoran is a nutritious thoran.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely chopped Beetroot – ½ cup
• Moong Daal / Cherupayar - ½ cup
• Finely chopped Onion – 3 tbsp
• Roundly cut Green Chillies - 2 nos
• Grated Coconut – 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds- pinch
• Garlic - 1 nos
• Chilly powder - ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red chillies - 2 nos
• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Moong Daal/ Cherupayar in a Pressure cooker with Turmeric Powder and Water for 3 -4 whistle.
• Crush Coconut, Cumin seed, Chilly Powder and Garlic.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chillies, allow to splutter.
• Add onions and green chillies , sauté until transparent.
• Add beetroot into it.
• Add turmeric powder,little water and salt.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook.
• Add Cooked Beans/ Moong Daal to it and mix well.
• Cook Beetroot and Beans together for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Add the crushed Coconut and mix well.
• Add Curry leaves and stir for 2 minutes and remove from fire.

Recommended Combination: It can be served with Rice / Chappathi.

Vanpayar kaya Mezhukkupuratti / Read beans &raw banana stir fry

This is a delicious side dish for rice. Its rich in protein and iron.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Beans -  ½ Cup
• Raw Banana(cut into small pieces) - ½ Cup
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chilly - 2 nos
• Sliced Shallot - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - A few
• Coconut Oil -1 tbsp 
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Red Beans/ Vanpayarr in a Pressure cooker with  Water for 3 -4 whistle
• Cook Raw Banana in little water along with turmeric powder, Chilly powder and salt.
• Heat Oil in a Pan.
• Add Mustrard seeds and Red chillies into it, allow to Splutter.
• Add sliced shallot, Curry leaves and fry it.
• Put the cooked beans and cooked banana into it and fry utill it turns crisp.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice.