Oats Puttu / Oats Steam Cake

INGREDIENTS:

• Oats - 2 cup 
• Grated Coconut - ½ cup
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as required to make the powder wet.

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Blend oats in a mixer to make it powder.
• In a heavy  bottomed pan add the  powder, stir continuously and roast lightly for 5 minutes.
• Allow the powder to cool.
• Sprinkle water in to flour little at a time and mix the flour. 
• Repeat sprinkling water till the flour is wet.
• Blend the flour mix in a blender for a minute so that the flour mix becomes soft.
• Place a pot shapped utensil  or a pressure cooker on the stove. 
• Fill half the utensil with water and boil the water.
• Place a puttu maker on the top of the utensil.
• Now its time to put the flour mixture into the puttu maker.
• Put a spoon full of  grated coconut first, then fill the flour mixture till the half of the maker.
• Again a spoonful of coconut on it then fill it up with the flour mix .
• Finally put a layer of  coconut on the top of it.
• Steam in a vessel for 5-6 minutes and serve hot.

Recommended Combination: Oats Puttu can be served hot with Kadala curry / Payar Curry  / Pappadam

Mango Salsa

INGREDIENTS:

• Ripe Mango - 1 no
• Finely chopped onion - 1 tbsp
• Finely chopped Cilantro - 1 tsp
• Chopped bell pepper - 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Peel and chop the mango.
• Mix chopped mango, onion, cilantro, bell pepper and salt together.
• Add lemon juice into it and mix well.
• Now it is ready to serve.

Recommended Combination: Serve with tortilla chips.

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 .

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

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.

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.

Rava Idli

Rava, usually used to prepare Upma can also be used to prepare delicious idli.

INGREDIENTS:

• Roasted Rava - 1 cup
• Curd - 1 ½ cup
• Finely Chopped Ginger -  ½ tsp
• Grated Carrot - 2 tbsp
• Green Chillies - 2 nos
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Channa Daal - 1 tsp
• Urad Daal - 1 tsp
• Cashewnut - 10 nos
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - A few
• Chopped corriander leaves -2 tbsp
• Sugar - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat ghee in the pan and fry cashewnut and take it aside.
• Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. 
• Add channa daal, urad daal and fry it.
• Add green chilies and chopped ginger and saute for a minute. 
• Add rava, mix well and roast for a minute.
• Remove from fire and add grated carrot, chopped corriander leaves, salt, sugar, curry leaves and curd and mix well.
• Now the Idli batter is ready.
• Grease the idli mould with oil.
• Put fried cashewnut in the center of each idli mould.
• Pour the batter in the mould .
• Steam the vessel for about 10 - 12 minutes.
• Turn off the stove and let it cool.
• Remove the idlis from the mould and serve.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Chutney or sambar.

Soya Roast

Soya is rich in protein and fiber. This is a dry side dish which is good to go with Chappathi, Appam or Rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Soya chunks - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 nos
• Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Slit Green chillies - 4 nos
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Tomato - 1 no
• Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Mustard seeds -1 tsp
• Salt - As reqd

PREPARATION METHOD:

• 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.
• Cut each balls into 2 pieces.
• Heat oil in the pan.
• Add Onions, Green Chillies, ginger and garlic paste.
• Fry Onions till it turns transparent.
• Add Tomatoes and sauté well.
• Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala Powder, salt and sauté .
• Add Soya into it.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for 10 - 15 mins.
• Add Pepper powder to the curry and mix well.
• Turn off the stove when the gravy becomes dry.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice / Chappathi / Appam

Mango Milk Shake

Milk shakes makes our body cool, espacially during summer. Try to serve this easy dish with its chillness.

INGREDIENTS:

• Mango - 1 nos
• Milk - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 tbsp 

PREPARATION METHOD:  

• Peel off the skin of mango and cut it into small pieces.
• Blend  mango and suger smoothly.
• Add milk(chilled milk) and blend the mixture together. 

Mango Lassi

Mango Lassi is a tasty soft drink which makes our body cool, especially in summer.

INGREDIENTS:

• Mango - 1
• Milk - ½ cup
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 tbsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Peel off the skin of mango and cut it into small pieces.
• Blend  mango and suger smoothly.
• Add milk and Yogurt, again blend the mixture together. 

Cheera Thoran

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


INGREDIENTS:

• Finely chopped green spinach (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.

Mathanga Puli Curry / Pumpkin Curry

Matha Puli Curry / Pumpkin Curry is a very simple curry which can be a quick side dish for rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Diced Pumpkin / Mathanga - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Chilly powder - 1½ Tbsp
• Corriander Powder -2 tbsp
• Asefodia Powder-pinch
• Fenugreek Powder - a pinch
• Tamarind - A gooseberry sized ball
• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water and take the extract from it.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add chilly powder, corriander powder and Saute till raw smell goes.
• Add Pumpkin / Mathanga piece with Turmeric powder and little water, let it cook.
• When Pumpkin is cooked, add Tamarind juice and allow to boil.
• Add Asefodia Powder and mix well.
• Remove from the fire and add curry leaves.
• Sprinkle fenugreek powder and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Mathanga Pulincurry can be served hot with Rice and Curd.

Aval Upma / Rice Flakes Upma

Aval / Rice Flakes can be used to prepare variety of snack items.
One amoungst them is Upma.

INGREDIENTS:

• Aval / Rice Flakes - 3 cups
• Grated Cocount - 3/4 cup
• Green Chillies - 3-4 nos
• Sliced Pearl Onion -5 nos
• Channa Daal - 2 tbsp
• Urad Daal - 2 tbsp
• Cashew nut -20 nos
• Coconut Oil - 3 tbsp
• Red Chillies- 2 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Peanut / Groundnut -20 nos
• Salt - to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat oil in the pan .
• Add mustard seeds, red chillies and wait for them to sputter. 
• Fry channa daal, urad daal, peanut and cashew nut, curry leaves and keep aside.
• Add green chilies and pearl onion and saute till translucent. 
• Wash the aval / rice flakes and drain the water from it.
• Add aval / rice flakes, salt, water and mix well. 
• Add grated coconut and mix well.
• Stir for 2 minutes and cook the aval.
• Turn off the stove and fried seasoning into it and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Aval Upma can be served hot with Tea or Coffee.

Pavakka Kichadi / Bittergourd Kichadi

Pavakka Kichadi / Bittergourd Kichadi (also called Pachadi) is a side dish served with rice.
Kichadi is prepared using fried vegetable mixed with curd or yogurt.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely chopped Pavakka / Bitter Gourd - ½ cup 
• Curd - 1 cup 
• Roundly cut Green Chilly -4 nos 
• Curry leaves 
• Salt to taste
• Coconut Oil - for frying 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Fry the Pavakka / Bittergourd, Green Chilly and Curry leaves till it is brown and crisp. 
• Add Fried items into curd. 
• Add salt and mix it well.

Recommended Combination: Pavakka Kichadi / Bittergourd Kichadi can be served with rice.

Manga Thayiru / Mango with Curd

Manga Thyairu / Mango in Curd is a variety side dish served together with rice. An easy and simple recipe to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw Mango - ½ mango
• Finely chopped Onion - ½ cup
• Green Chilly(roundly cut) - 2 nos
• Corriander Powder - ½ tbsp
• Chilly Powder - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek Powder - a pinch
• Curd - 1 cup
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Peel the Skin of the Mango and chop it nicely.
• Mix all the ingredients together with curd.

Recommended Combination: Manga Thayir can be served with Rice.

Ullipuli / Onion Curry

Ullipuli / Onion Curry is a great side dish which can be served with rice.
The tamarind juice in this gives it a distinct taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely Chopped Onion - 1 nos
• Green Chilly(roundly cut) - 3 nos 
• Finely sliced coconut - 4 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Red Chilly Powder - 2 tsp
• Corriander Powder- 3 tsp
• Fenugreek Powder- a pinch
• Tamarind - A gooseberry sized ball
• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste
• Water

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water and take the extract from it.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add the chopped onion,green chilly, sliced coconut and saute well till the Onion turns transparent.
• Add chilly powder, corriander powder and Saute till raw smell goes.
• Add Turmeric powder and little water, let it cook.
• When Onion is cooked, add Tamarind juice and allow to boil.
• Remove from the fire and add curry leaves.
• Sprinkle fenugreek powder and mix well.

Recommended Combination:Ullipuli can be served with Rice / Chappathi

Vazhuthananga Thoran / Brinjal Thoran

Vazhuthananga Thoran / Brinjal Thoran is a dry side dish served with rice.
Its a very simple yet tasty recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• Diced vazhuthananga / Brinjal - 6 nos
• Chopped Onion - ½ cup
• Grated coconut - ½ cup
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - as needed
• Curry leaves - few

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 brinjal/ vazhuthananga with turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt.
• Cover the pan with a lid.
• Slow down the flame and cook it for 10 mins. 
• Add grated coconut and curry leaves and mix well.

Recommended Combination:Vazhuthananga thoran / Brinjal Thoran can be serve hot with Rice.

Muringa ila Parippu Curry

Drumstick leaves or Muringaila can be combined with Parippu or Daal to make a simple, rich nutritious curry.

INGREDIENTS:

• Toor Daal - 1 cup
• Drumstick leaves -1 cup
• Turmeric powder -¼ tsp
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Grated coconut -1 cup
• Garlic -2 nos
• Coconut Oil- 1tbsp
• Curry leaves-a few

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Detach the drumstick leaves from the stem.
• Cook Toor Dal and drumstick leaves with Water, chilly Powder and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistle. 
• Grind the coconut and garlic to a fine paste.
• Add this paste to the cooked daal along with little water and salt.
• Allow to boil. 
• When it starts to boil, turn off the stove and add Coconut Oil and Curry leaves

Recommended Combination: Muringaila Parippu can be served hot with Chappathi / Rice / Poori

Muringayila Curry / Drumstick leaves Curry

Drumstick leaves can be used to prepare a varities of dishes.
One amongst them is a curry (Muringaila Curry), which is very rich in Iron.

INGREDIENTS:

• Drumstick leaves - 2 tbsp
• Grated coconut -½ cup
• Garlic -1 nos
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Coconut Oil- 1 tbsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chilli and let it splutter.
• Put the leaves in the oil and saute for a minute.
• Grind the coconut and garlic to a fine paste.
• Add this paste to the pan with little water and salt.
• Allow to boil. 
• When it starts to boil, turn off the stove.

Recommended Combination: Muringa ila curry can be served hot with Rice

Cabbage Mutta Thoran / Cabbage Egg Thoran

Cabbage Thoran is a very popular side dish in South India.
Egg can be used as a combination item to prepare Cabbage Mutta thoran which is a dry dish too.

INGREDIENTS:

• Egg - 3 nos
• Finely Chopped Onion - 1 nos
• Finely chopped Cabbage-2 cup
• Green Chilly(Chopped) - 3 nos 
• Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Beat the eggs and keep aside. 
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add the chopped onion,green chilly and saute well till the Onion turns transparent.
• Add Cabbage and saute for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Cover the Pan and cook the cabbage well.
• Add the grated coconut and mix well.
• Add the beaten egg and scrambled it well.
• Stir continuously till the egg is well cooked and dried up.
• Add curry leaves and mix it.

Recommended Combination: Cabbage Mutta Thoran can be served hot with Rice / Chappathi