Carrot Kichedi / Carrot Pachadi

Carrot Kichedi is a simple and delicious dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely Chopped Carrot - ¼ cup
• Green chillies - 4 nos
• Curd - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Water 
• Salt - to taste
• Curry leaves - A few
• Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp 
• Red chilly - 2 nos 
• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Chopped carrot and Green Chilly in water along with salt and turmeric powder .
• When the cooked carrot is cool,add Curd to it and stir well.
• Heat Oil in a Pan.
• Add Mustrard seeds and Red chillies into it, allow to Splutter.
• Add Curry leaves and fry it.  
• Pour the seasoning over the Kichedi.  

Recommended Combination: Serve with Rice.

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.

Onion Raita

Raita is a common side dish served along with Biriyani, Fried Rice or Chappathi.It is a simple side dish which can be easily prepared.

INGREDIENTS:

• Curd - ½ Cup
• Finely Chopped Onion - 1 tsp
• Finely Chopped Tomato - 1 tsp
• Finely Chopped Corriander Leaves - ½ tsp
• Green chillies(roundly cut) - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Add Onion, Tomato, Corriander Leaves, Green chillies and  Salt into Curd.
• Mix it well and serve.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Biriyani / Fried Rice.

Inji Thairu / Ginger Curd

Inji Thairu / Ginger Curd is a traditional Kerala dish which can be normally served during sadya or other special occasion along with Rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Curd - ½ Cup
• Finely Chopped Ginger - ½ tsp
• Green Chillies(roundly cut) - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves 

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Add Ginger, Green Chilli, Salt and Curryleaves into Curd.
• Mix it well and serve.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Rice.

Potato Bajji

 It is an easy to prepare Tea time snack. It is prepared by dipping the Potato in the batter and deep frying it.

INGREDIENTS:

• Potato -2 nos
• Gram Flour (besan)- ½ cup
• Maida - 1 tbsp
• Rice Flour -2 tbsp
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Asafoetida Powder - ¼ tsp
• Baking soda - pinch (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil - for frying
• Water- required to make batter

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix the rice flour, maida, red chilli powder, asafoetida powder, salt to gram flour and mix well.(you can add baking soda to the flour if needed)

• Add water to the flour mixture and make a smooth thick batter.
• Heat Oil in a pan. 
• Peel off the Potato skin and make thin slices of it.
• Dip each slice into the batter and put into the hot oil.
• Fry till both the sides turn golden brown. 

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Tea or Coffee.

Cherupayar Thoran/ Moong Daal Thoran / Green Gram Stir fry

Cherupayar Thoran / Moong Daal Thoran is a delicious dry dish rich in protein often served with rice or kanji.

INGREDIENTS:

• Moong Daal / Cherupayar - 1 cup
• Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
• Cumin seeds- pinch
• Garlic pods - 2 nos 
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp 
• Chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red Chilly -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. 
• Add the coconut mix and salt to the cooked daal and mix well. 
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chilli and let it splutter.
• Add cooked daal and curry leaves, mix well.
• Saute for a minute and remove from fire.

Recommended Combination: Cherupayar Thoran / Moong Daal Thoran can be served hot with Rice, Morucurry and Achar / kanji  .

Cauliflower Bajji

Cauliflower Bajji is a simple dish prepared by dipping the Cauliflower in the batter and deep frying it


INGREDIENTS:

• Cauliflower Florets - 20 nos
• All purpose Flour(Maida mavu) - ½ cup
• Pepper powder -¼ tsp
• Turmeric powder -¼ tsp
• Egg -2 nos
• Water -4 Tbsp (required to make thick batter)
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Beat the egg and keep aside.
• Mix Egg, Water,Salt,Turmeric Powder,Pepper powder and Flour to make thick batter.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Dip each florets in the batter.
• Put slowly it into the hot oil.
• Fry the bajjis until it turns golden colour.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Tea

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.

Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratti / Red Beans Stir Fry

Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratti / Red Beans Stir Fry is rich in protien and tasty side dish for rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Beans / Van payar - 1 cup 
• Turmeric Powder -  ¼ tsp
• Sliced Pearl Onion - 3 nos
• Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp 
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Beans / Vanpayar in a Pressure cooker with Turmeric Powder , Salt and  2 cups of Water for 3-4 whistle. 
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add Pearl Onion and fry it.
• Add Beans / vanpayar and Curry leaves and fry for 2 - 3 mins.

Recommended Combination:Vanpayar Mezhukkupuratti / Red Beans Stir Fry can be served hot with rice.

Chammandi

Chammandi can be prepared easily and can serve as a tasty side dish for several breakfast and lunch items including Dosa, Idly, Rice etc.

INGREDIENTS:

• Grated coconut - 1 ½ cup
• Red chilly - 4 nos
• Tamarind - 1 gooseberry ball size
• Pearl Onion - 2 nos
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt - to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• 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 / Dosa / Idli.