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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Vattayappam / Rice Cake


Vattayappam or Rice Cake is a main item in Kerala.
Rice - Coconut batter cooked in steam to prepare this item.

INGREDIENTS:
  • Raw rice flour -1 cups
  • Grated Coconut - 1 ½ cup
  • Cumin Seed - pinch
  • Cream of Rice (thari)/Rava- 1 tbsp
  • Ghee- ½ tsp
  • Yeast -½ tsp
  • Sugar- 5 tbsp
  • Salt - ¼ tsp 
  • Water

PREPARATION METHOD:
  • Lightly roast rice flour about 3 minutes.
  • Mix yeast with sugar in 5 Tbsp warm water and keep aside.
  • Grind Coconut and cumin seed to a fine paste.
  • Cook the cream of rice in little water by stirring continuously.
  • Mix rice flour, cooked cream of rice and yeast and knead into a soft dough. 
  • Add the coconut paste mix to the dough with little water and mix well. 
  • Add Salt and mix well to make a thick batter.
  • Grease ghee in a pan (steel plate) and pour the batter into it.
  • Steam it well in an idli steamer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove it from the steamer. 
  • Let it cool for sometime and remove from the pan.
Recommended Combination: Vattayappam / Rice Cake can be served hot with Chicken Curry / Chicken Stew / vegetable Kurma / Chicken Kurma / Kadala Curry

Monday, April 26, 2010

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




Sunday, April 25, 2010

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

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Kinnanappam / Rice Cake


Kinnanappam is a sort of Rice cake cooked in steam.
The main ingredients are grinded boiled rice, coconut and jaggery.

INGREDIENTS:
  • Parboiled Rice- 1 cup
  • Grated coconut – 1½ cup 
  • Cumin seed - pinch
  • Jaggery - ½ cup
  • Ghee - 1tbsp
  • Salt - As reqd


PREPARATION METHOD:
  • Soak rice for atleast 4 hrs.
  • Grind Rice, Coconut and cumin seed to a batter(idli batter consistency).
  • Add Salt, Jaggery and ghee to the batter and mix well.
  • Grease some ghee in a pan (steel plate) and pour the batter into it.
  • Steam it well in an idli steamer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove it from the steamer.
  • Let it cool for sometime and remove from the pan.
Recommended Combination:Kinnanappam can be served with tea or coffee.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti / Beetroot Stir Fry



Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti / Stir Fry is a tasty side dish which goes together with Rice.
Beetroot is rich in dietary fiber and has no cholestrol.

INGREDIENTS:
  • Chopped Beetrot -2 medium size
  • Chopped Onion - 1 small
  • Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp. 
  • Red chili powder - ½ tsp.
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil -1 tbsp
  • Curry leaves -a few

PREPARATION METHOD:
  • Cook beetroot in little water along with turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.
  • Heat oil in a pan.
  • Put onion into it and saute till it turns translucent.
  • Add the cooked Beetroot and curry leaves into it and fry it.
Recommended Combination:Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti can be served with Rice.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Adapradhaman


Pradhaman stands first amoungst all dishes in a traditional Kerala Sadya.
Rice Ada can be used to prepare a very delicius Payasam, otherwise known as Ada Pradhaman or Rice Ada Poridge.

INGREDIENTS:
  • Rice Ada -200gm
  • Gaggery -500 gm/ 1 lb
  • Ghee - 4 tbsp
  • Cashew nut - 10 nos
  • Coconut cuts - 2 tbsp
  • Thick Coconut Milk - 2 cup
  • Sesame seed - 1 tsp
  • Cumin seed - 1 tsp
  • Raisin -2 tbsp

PREPARATION METHOD:
  • Add Ada to 3 cup of boiling water.
  • Cover the vessel and allow to remain for 15 minutes.
  • Wash Ada in cold water and drain it.
  • Put 2 tbsp ghee in a pan.
  • Add AdA in it and saute for 3 minutes.
  • Mix Jaggery in water till dilute it.
  • Filter jaggery and add the jaggery to Ada and saute it. 
  • Once the Ada cooks in jaggery, add coconut milk.
  • Turn off the stove.
  • Heat the remaing Ghee in a pan.
  • Fry Coconut cut in brown colour.
  • Fry Cashew nut, Raisin, cumin seed, sesame.
  • Add this seasoning to the payasam.
Recommended Combination:usually in Sadya Ada Pradhaman is served with Pappadam and Pazham.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Nellikka Achar / Gooseberry Pickle


Gooseberry or Nellikka Pickle is yet another popular variety of pickle across India. This pickle can be made very easily as described below.

INGREDIENTS:
  • Nellikka/ Gooseberry - 20 nos
  • Chopped Ginger - 1 tbsp
  • Garlic(sliced)- 10 nos
  • Chilli powder - 4 tbsp
  • Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp
  • Asafoetida Powder - ¼ tsp
  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Gingely oil - ½ Cup
  • Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:
  • Cook Nellikka / Gooseberry in steam(using steamer).
  • Heat Oil in a pan.
  • Put Mustard seed into the Oil and let it splutter.
  • Add Ginger and Garlic and saute well.
  • Add cooked Nellikka and saute well for 5 minutes.
  • Add Chilly powder and Salt to it and mix well.
  • Sprinkle water and cook in low flame.
  • Saute Nellikka till oil oozes out from it.
  • Add Fenugreek powder and Asafoetida Powder and mix well.
  • Remove from fire and allow to cool.
Recommended Combination: Gooseberry pickle / nellikka achar can be served with Rice and Curd / Curd Rice / Kanji

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

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.

Monday, April 19, 2010

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

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Pavakka Thoran / Bitter Gourd Thoran.



Pavakka / Bitter Gourd is a stomachic medicine, which serves to tone the stomach, improving its function and increasing appetite. It is also used as a medicine for diabetics. This bitter fruit can be used to prepare a variety of dishes including Thoran. The grated coconut in Thoran reduces the bitterness of the dish.

INGREDIENTS:
  • Bittergourd/ Pavakka (finely Chopped) - 1 big
  • Grated coconut - ½ Cup
  • Finely Chopped Onion - 1 nos
  • Finely sliced coconut - ¼ cup
  • Green Chilly(Chopped) - 4 nos 
  • Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
  • Oil - 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
  • Red Chilly-2 nos
  • Rice - 1tbsp
  • Curry leaves - few
  • Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:
  • Heat oil in a pan.
  • Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
  • Add rice and fry it.
  • Once rice becomes crispy, add the chopped onion,green chilly and saute well till the Onion turns transparent.
  • Add chopped Bitter gourd, sliced coconut,turmeric powder and Salt .
  • Sprinkle water, cover the pan and let it cook.
  • Add the grated coconut and mix well.
  • Stir continuously till the water dries up.
  • Add curry leaves and mix it.
Recommended Combination: Pavakka Thoran / Bitter Gourd Thoran can be served hot with Rice.