Pavakka Curry / Bittergourd Curry

Pavakka Curry / Bittergourd Curry is prepared in grinded coconut paste to reduce its bitterness.
This is a thick gravy curry served with Rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Pavakka / Bittergourd -2 big size
• Sliced Onion - 1 no
• Sliced Green Chilly -3 nos
• Sliced Tomato - 1 no
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup
• Corriander powder – ½ tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp
• Curry Leaves 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Remove seed from Pavakka and cut it into small pieces.
• Grind the Grated coconut, Chilly Powder,Corriander Powder to a fine paste.
• Cook Pavakka, Onion and Green Chilly along with Turmeric powder and Salt.
• When Pavakka is cooked, add Coconut paste and Tomato.
• Let it boil.
• When it starts boil,turn off the stove and add Coconut Oil and Curry leaves.

Recommended Combination:Pavakka Curry / Bittergourd Curry can be serve hot with Rice / Chappathi

Muringaila Mutta Thoran / Drumstick leaves Egg Thoran

Muringaila or Drumstick Leaves can be used in combination with Egg for preparing Thoran. It is a dry dish and goes in combination with Rice as a side dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• Egg - 3 nos
• Finely chopped onion - 1 nos
• Finely chopped drumstick leaves- one handfull
• Green chilly(chopped) - 3 nos 
• Grated coconut -  2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• 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, drumstick leaves and saute well till the onion turns transparent.
• Add turmeric powder and salt.
• 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: Muringa ila Mutta Thoran can be serve hot with Rice / Chappathi

Muringaila Thoran / Drumstick leaves Thoran

Drumstick Leaves or Muraingaila thoran is a dry dish which is very nutritious. It is a good side dish for rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Drumstick leaves - 2cups
• Grated coconut - 1 Cup
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Rice - 1 tsp
• Garlic - 2 nos
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - as needed

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Detach the leaves from the stem and chop it very nicely.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chilli and let it splutter.
• Add rice fry it.
• Once rice becomes crispy add drumstick leaves, salt, turmeric powder.
• Sprinkle water and cover the pan and cook for 10 mins.
• Crush Coconut, garlic and chilly powder together and add to it.
• Mix finely and slow down the flame and cook it for 2 mins.

Recommended Combination: Muraingaila thoran can be served hot with Rice.

Gothambu Puttu / Wheat Puttu

Gothambu Puttu / Wheat Steam Cake is a different variety of Puttu.
Use Roasted Wheat flour instead of Rice Flour which is used to prepare regular Rice puttu.

INGREDIENTS:

• Roasted wheat flour -1 cup 
• Grated Coconut -¼ cup
• Salt - to taste
• Water- as required to make the powder wet .
• Puttu kudam (puttu maker)

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Add salt to the roasted flour gently to make a mixture.
• Sprinkle water in to flour little at a time and mix the flour. 
• Repeat sprinkling water till the flour is wet.
• Place a pot shapped utensil on the stove. 
• Fill half the utensil with water and boil the water.
• Place a puttu maker on the top of the utensil .
• Put some grated coconut in it, and fill puttu maker with the mixture and put some grated coconut on the top .
• Steam in a vessel for 10 minutes and serve hot

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

Koon Roast / Mushroom Roast

Mushrooms are undoubtedly delicious.
This preparation method is similar to Egg Roast, replacing egg with mushroom.

INGREDIENTS:

• Mushroom - 15 nos
• Onion - 1 nos
• Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp
• 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
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Mustard seeds -1 tsp
• Salt - As reqd

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Clean and cut the Mushroom into half and keep aside
• Heat oil in the pan.
• Put Mustard seeds and red Chillies and allow to Splutter
• .Add Curry leaves.
• 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 Mushroom into it.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook for 10 - 15 mins.
• Turn off the stove when the gravy becomes thick.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice / Chappathi / Appam

Asparagus Thoran

Asparagus has no cholestrol and is low in calories and sodium, a healthy source of vitamins and dietary fiber. Young shoots of Green Asparagus can be used to prepare delicious thoran as shown in this receipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chopped Asparagus - 1cups
• Grated coconut - ¼ Cup
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Garlic - 1 nos
• Cumin Seed -¼ tsp
• Urad Daal - 1tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Curry Leaves -few

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Asparagus with turmeric powder and salt in little water.
• Crush Coconut ,Chilly powder,Garlic and Cumin seed and add to cooked Asparagus and mix it well.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chilli and let it splutter.
• Add urad daal and fry it.
• Once Urad becomes brown, add Cooked Asparagus and Curry leaves.
• Stir well and slow down the flame and cook it for 2 mins.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice

Soya Curry

This recepie shows how to use Soya Chunks to make a delicious Curry.

INGREDIENTS:

• Soya Chunks- 1 cup
• Diced Potato- ½ cup
• Diced Capsicum- ¼ cup
• Green peas(frozen) - ¼ cup
• Chopped Beans - ¼ cup
• Diced Carrot -¼ cup
• Chopped onion -½ cup
• Slit Greenchilly- 6 nos 
• Ginger Paste- 1 tsp
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Corriander Powder-1½ tsp
• Turmeric powder -¼ tsp
• Aniseed powder - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder -¼ tsp
• Cinnamon -2 inch stick
• Bayleaf -1
• Cloves- 2 nos
• Cardamom - 1 nos
• Thick Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil -1 tbs 
• Curry leaves-few

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak soya chunks or 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 a pan and fry Cinnamon Stick, Cardamom, Bayleaf and cloves . 
• Add Onion, Ginger Paste and Green Chilly until Onion becomes golden brown. 
• Add Soya Chunks, Capsicum, carrot, peas, Beans, Potato and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and saute till the raw smell goes.
• Add salt and water,cover the pan and let it cook. 
• When the Vegetables are cooked add Aniseed Powder and Pepper Powder and let it boil for 2 minutes.
• Then add coconut milk and allow to boil. 
• When it starts boil,put curry leaves and remove from fire

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chappathi / Appam / Rice

Carrot Mutta Thoran / Carrot Egg Thoran

Another form of thoran using carrot and Egg mixed with grated coconut.

INGREDIENTS:

• Eggs - 3 nos
• Finely Chopped Onion - 1 nos
• Finely chopped Carrot-2 nos
• 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. 
• Cook the carrot along with turmeric powder and salt in little water.
• 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 cooked carrot and saute for 2 - 3 minutes.
• 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: Serve hot with Rice

Capsicum Mutta Thoran / Capsicum Egg Thoran

Capsicum and Egg can be used to prepare delicious thoran.

INGREDIENTS:

• Eggs - 3 nos
• Finely Chopped Onion - 1 nos
• Finely chopped Capsicum -1 nos
• 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 chopped Capsicum, turmeric powder, salt and allow to cook.
• Add 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: Serve hot with Rice / Chappathi

Ishtu

This is a simple delicious dish, popular in a traditional Kerala Sadya, which can be served on its own with Appam or Chappathi.

INGREDIENTS:

• Diced Onion -1 nos
• Diced Potato - 2 nos
• Green Chilly(Slit) - 6 nos
• Ginger(chopped) -1 tbsp
• Thick Coconut milk - ½ cup
• Coconut Oil - 1tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Onion, Potato, Chilly and Ginger along with salt and water.
• When the vegetables cooks well, add Coconut milk and let it boil.
• When it starts boil,turn off the stove and add Curry leaves and coconut Oil

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice/ Appam/ Chappathi

Nilakadala Chammanthi / Groundnut Chammandi

Peanut or Groundnut can be used with grated coconut to prepare delicious Peanut Chammanthi.

INGREDIENTS:

• Grated Coconut - 1 cup
• Roasted Peanut - 1/4 cup
• Pearl Onion - 6 nos
• Red Chilly - 5 nos
• Curry leaves - few
• Tamarind - A gooseberry sized ball

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Salt to taste
• Grind all the ingredients together to a fine paste.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Dosa

Ulli Chammanthi / Onion Chammanthi

Onion can be used to make spicy chammanthi as shown in this receipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• Pearl Onion(sliced)- 15 nos
• Red Chilly - 10 nos
• Curry leaves -few
• Coconut Oil - 1tbsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat  1 tsp oil in the pan.
• Fry red chilly and curry leaves.
• Saute onion till it turns transparent.
• Grind red chilly, onion and curry leaves with salt into a paste(without water)
• Add remaining coconut oil and mix.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Dosa / Idli

Crispy Rava Dosa

This preparation of Dosa uses Rava batter instead of Rice batter.

INGREDIENTS:

• Rava - 1 cups
• Rice flour -¼ cup
• Maida /All-purpose flour- ¼ cup
• Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
• Finely chopped Ginger- 1 tsp
• Finely chopped green chillies - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Sesame Oil
• Salt to taste
• Water - 3 cups

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix Rava, Rice flour, Maida, Cumin seed, Ginger, Green Chilly, Curry leaves, Salt and Water to make a dosa batter keep it aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat a Frying Pan.
• Take one Spoonful of batter and spread on the Pan starting from the Outside and finishing off in the middle.
• Pour some sesame oil on dosa.
• Turn the other side and cook both sides well.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chutney.

Parippu Dosa

Parippu dosa is one amongst the different flavours of Dosa's a popular south Indian dish. A spicy combination with added grains.

INGREDIENTS:

• RawRice - 1 cups
• Parboiled rice - 1 cup
• Urad Daal - ½ cup
• Toor daal- ¼ cup
• Channa daal-¼ cup
• Fenugreek - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida -¼ tsp
• Red chilly -6 nos
• Finely chopped pearl onion - 6 nos
• Curry leaves
• Water - as required
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak rice, Toor daal, Channa daal, Urad daal, Red chilly and fenugreek for 5 hours. 
• Grind these with water.
• Add asafoetida, chopped onion, curry leaves and salt and stir well.
• Keep it for 2 hrs. 
• Pour one spoon full of batter on a frying pan as thin as possible.
• Pour some oil on it.
• When one side is golden brown and turn the other side .

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Tomato chutney / Coconut chutney/ Sambar

Onion Uthappam

Uthappams are one of the South Indian breakfast. It can be make with left over idli or dosa batter.
Onion Uttapam is usually made with Onion and Chilli.

INGREDIENTS:

• Dosa batter - 1 cup
• Finely chopped Onion - 1 nos
• Finely chopped Green chillies -4nos
• Finely chopped Ginger -1 tbsp
• Finely chopped Curry leaves / Corriander leaves-1 tbsp
• Gingely Oil
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a frying pan.
• Spread a spoonful of the batter to a heated frying pan.
• Sprinkle few chopped onions, green chilly, curry leaves / corriander leaves on top of the batter.
• When the base is golden brown, turn the other side and cook well.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chutney

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa is prepared by embedding masala within the roasted Dosa.

INGREDIENTS:
For Dosa

• RawRice -1 ½ cups
• Urad Daal - ½ cup
• Water - as required
• Salt - 1 tsp 

For Masala

• Potato - 3 nos
• Sliced Onion(length wise)- 1 nos
• Slit Green chillies - 2 nos
• Chopped Ginger- ¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Black gram(Uzhunnuparippu) - ½ tsp
• Bengal gram(Kadalaparippu) - ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp
• Red chillies- 2 - 3 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Water- ¼ cup
• Salt - as required

PREPARATION METHOD:
For Dosa Batter

• Soak rice and Urad daal separately for 5 hours.
• Grind rice and daal separately with water very finely.
• Mix together rice, dal and salt.
• Add water and stir well to form a loose batter.
• Keep it overnight to ferment. 

For Masala

• Boil potatoes ,Peel skin and mash them and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan .
• Put Mustrard seeds and red chillies and allow to Splutter
• Fry black gram, Bengal gram, curry leaves,.
• Add sliced onion, Chopped Ginger and green chillies and saute well till it turns transparent.
• Add Water,Salt,Turmeric powder and let it boil.
• Add the mashed potatoes and mix well.
• Cook it for a few mins until the water dries up.
• Pour one spoon full of batter on a frying pan as thin as possible.
• Pour 2 tsp Ghee on it.
• When one side is golden brown, add Potato mix inside Dosa and roll.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chutney.

Dosa / Pancake

Dosa is a very well known breakfast item in South India that is relished by people of all ages. The recipe contains all the nutrients including Carbohydrates, proteins, fat, mineral salts such as calcium and iron as well as the necessary vitamins.Dosa is made from fermented batter of Rice and black Gram.

INGREDIENTS:

• RawRice -1 ½ cups
• Urad Daal - ½ cup
• Water - as required
• Salt - 1 tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak rice and Urad daal separately for 5 hours.
• Grind rice and daal separately with water very finely.
• Mix together rice, dal and salt.
• Add water and stir well to form a loose batter.
• Keep it overnight to ferment.
• Pour one spoon full of batter on a frying pan as thin as possible.
• Pour some oil on it.
• When one side is golden brown and turn the other side . 

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Sambar or Chutney.

Poori

Poori is made from a dough of Wheat flour, Water and Salt by rolling it out into discs and
deep frying it in ghee or vegetable oil.Puri is often served potato masala.

INGREDIENTS:

• Wheat Flour - 1 cup
• Water to make dough
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix Salt and Flour.
• Slowly add warm water
• Knead the dough with hands gently until it becomes soft and keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Make the dough into small balls.
• Roll out the dough in to small rounds.
• Heat Oil in a Pan.
• Fry the puri one at a time.
• Turn each side and fry till light brown

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Potato Masala, Podimas, Parippu, Vegetable Curry, Egg Curry, Chicken Curry.

Pathiri

Pathiri is made with rice flour and water. It is also called rice chappathi..

INGREDIENTS:

• Rice flour - 1 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - As required

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Boil water with salt and oil.
• Add rice flour into it and stir well.
• Roll into small balls; flatten them smearing rice flour.
• Heat pan and place the pathiris on it.
• Cook on both the sides

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Egg Curry, Egg Roast, Chicken Curry.

Paalappam / Appam.

Appam made with ground soaked rice and cooked rice, mixed to a batter with coconut milk and water then left in a warm place to ferment for a number of hours. Appam is thin and crisp round the edges and fluffy and thick in the centre.

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw rice – 1 cup
• Cooked rice(parboiled) – 2 tbsp
• Scraped coconut – ½ or coconut milk -½ cup
• Yeast -¼ tsp
• Sugar -1 tbsp
• Salt - As reqd

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak rice for atleast 4 hrs
• Make a batter of rice, coconut( or coconut milk)and cooked rice(batter should not be too watery)
• Add yeast and sugar to warm water and dissolve.
• Add this to the batter and keep for about 6 hrs.
• Before making appams, add salt and little sugar.
• Heat a Pan(Appachatti).
• Pour a spoonful batter into the appa chatti and rotate the Chatti.
• Cover the pan and cook in medium flame till the edges of the Appam turn golden colour..

Recommended combination: Serve hot with Egg Roast or Stew or Chicken Curry.