Cuccumbar Raita

Cuccumber raita is a simple side dish usually served with Biriyani or Fried rice. The main ingredients are cuccumber and Curd.

INGREDIENTS:

• Curd - ½ Cup
• Finely Chopped Salad Cuccumber - 2 tbsp
• Green chillies(roundly cut) - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Add Cuccumber, Green chillies and  Salt into Curd.
• Mix it well and serve.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Biriyani / Fried Rice.

Nei Choru / Ghee Rice

Nei Choru or Ghee rice is popular in kerala, in northern part. The taste of ghee and spices in this rice is equally enjoyed by kids and adults.

INGREDIENTS:

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Sliced Onions - 1 small 
• Cloves -4
• Cardamom -4 
• Cinnamon -2 inch long 
• Ghee - 4 tbsp
• Cashewnut - 12 nos
• Raisins - 2 tbsp
• Thinly sliced Onion - 1 small(for garnishing)
• Salt to taste
• Water- 4 cups

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Wash the rice and drain it.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan 
• Fry cashews and raisins and keep it aside.
• Add 1 tbsp Ghee and fry the thinly sliced onions(for garnishing) until golden brown and remove it.
• Add the remaining Ghee in the same pan and saute all the spices for 2 minutes.
• Add sliced onions and saute the onion until translucent.
• Add the drained rice to the pan .
• Stir continuously and fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Add water and salt to the pan.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook.
• Remove from the fire when the rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed .
• Garnish the rice with fried Onion, Cashewnut and raisins.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chicken Curry / pickle.

Milk Shake

Milk shake is a refreshing beverage which is often served chill. It is made using  chilled milk, nuts, health drink and fruits.

INGREDIENTS: 

• Chilled Milk - 1 cup
• Rippened Plantain - 2 no
• Horlicks / any chocolate health drink - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tbsp
• Cashewnut - 5 nos
• Almond - 5 nos

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Blend Plantain, health drink mix, sugar, cashewnut and almond smoothly.
• Add chilled milk and blend together.
• Pour it into a glass.
• Now it is ready to serve.

Bread Bajji

Bread Bajji is a quick and easy tea time snack.

INGREDIENTS:

• Bread slices - 4 nos
• Finely Chopped Corriander Leaves - 2 tbsp 
• Gram flour(kadala mavu / Besan Flour) - 1 cup
• Chilly powder -½ tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Asafoetida -  ¼ tsp
• Water -required to make batter
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cut the edges of bread slices and cut it diagonally.
• Mix Water,Salt,Chilli powder,Asefodia, Turmeric powder, Corriander leaves and Flour to make batter(dosa batter consistency).
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Dip each pieces 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

Kappa Vattal Varuthathu / Tapioca Chips

Kappa Vattal Varuthathu is a kerala naadan tea time snake.It can be made easily at home.

INGREDIENTS:

• Kappa(Tapioca) -1 big
• Water- required for cooking
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Peel the Kappa / Tapioca and cut it into pieces.
• Boil the Kappa / Tapioca with Salt and Water.
• Drain the water when it becomes soft.
• Slice the cooked Kappa / Tapioca and spread it in a large plate or a flat surface.
• Dry it in sunlight for 2 hours. 
• (if you want to store it for longer then you may have to dry it completely.)
• Heat Oil in a Pan.
• Put the dry slices into it. 
• Fry until it turns golden colour and crisp.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Tea or Coffee

Mulaku Chammandi

This is a very tasty chammandi which goes together with Kappa Puzhukku.

INGREDIENTS:

• Green Chilly -2 nos
• Shallot / kunju ulli - 6 nos
• Salt to taste
• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Crush Chilly,Shallot and Salt together.
• Add Coconut oil and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Mulaku Chammandi can be usually served with Kappa Puzhukku.

Ilayappam / Ila Ada

Ilayappam  /  Ila  Ada is a tasty sweet snack wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in steam .

INGREDIENTS:

• Rice Flour -2 cup
• Grated Fresh Coconut -  1  cup
• Jaggery - ½  cup
• Ghee -1 tsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Boiled water - required to make dough
• Plantain Leaves

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Roast the rice flour lightly. 
• Add Boiled Water and Salt to rice flour and make a soft dough like chappathi dough.  
• Allow to cool the dough. 
• Grease banana leaves with little ghee.  
• Add little water to jaggery  and boil make a thick syrup. 
• Add the grated coconut to it and cook for 2  minutes and let it cool.
• Make the dough into small balls.
• Flatten the dough on a rectangular banana leaf  as thin as possible using finger tips (use little water).
• Put a spoonful of coconut mixture on it and spread it in one half of the ada.
• Fold the banana leaf in half and fold the the edges to seal. 
• Continue the same process with rest of the dough. 
• Steam the ada in a steamer till cooked. 
• Remove the banana leaves when it cools completely.

Mulappicha Payar Mezhukkupuratti / Sprouted beans Stir Fry

Sprouted Beans is healthy food rich in protein. Sprouted beans Stir Fry is very delicious and can go as a side disk with Rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Sproted Beans - 1 cup
• Green chilly(slit) - 2 nos
• 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 Sproted Beans with Turmeric Powder and Salt.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add Pearl Onion and fry it.
• Add Beans and Curry leaves and fry it.

Recommended Combination: Sprouted Beans Stir Fry / Mulappicha Payar Mezhukkupuratti can be served hot with rice.

Asparagus Theeyal

Theeyal is a traditional kerala dish. We can prepare Theeyal using a variety of vegetables including Asparagus.

INGREDIENTS:

• Sliced shallots(Pearl Onion) - 20 nos
• Slit Green Chilly- 4 nos
• Sliced Asparagus- ½ cup
• Grated Coconut- 1½ cup
• Red Chilly Powder - 1½ tsp
• Coriander Powder- 1½ tsp
• Turmeric Powder-¼ tsp
• Fenugreek Powder- a pinch
• Tamarind - A gooseberry sized ball
• Water - ½ cup
• Curry Leaves - a few
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan add grated coconut and saute till brown.
• Add chilly powder and coriander powder and stir for a few minutes.
• Remove from fire and allow to cool.
• Grind it to a fine paste.
• Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of warm water and take the extract from it.
• Heat remaining oil in a pan.
• Add sliced onions, green chilly and saute, till they turn golden brown colour.
• Add sliced Asparagus and saute for another 3 minutes.
• Add turmeric Powder,salt and water,allow to cook.
• Add tamarind juice and allow to boil.
• Add coconut paste and let it to boil till the gravy thickens and oil seperates.
• Remove from the fire and add curry leaves.
• Sprinkle fenugreek powder and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Asparagus  Theeyal can be served with Rice.

Veluthulli Achar / Garlic Pickle

Garlic Pickle is very good for digestion and can be prepared very easily.

INGREDIENTS:

• Garlic Pods - 15 nos
• Nicely sliced Ginger - 1 tsp
• Gingely Oil - 3 tbsp
• Chilly Powder - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp
• Asafoetida Powder - ¼ tsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp or  Vinegar - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Put Mustard seed into the Oil and let it splutter.
• Add sliced Ginger and Garlic and saute for 5 minutes.
• Add Salt and mix well.
• Add Chilly powder, Fenugreek powder and Asafoetida Powder to the hot Oil and remove Pan from fire.
• Add Vinegar or Lemon juice to it and mix well.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Rice / Chappathi / Dosa.