Vendakka Thoran / Okra Stir Fry

Okra / Ladies Finger is an ideal vegetable for weight loss.The fiber of okra has many superior qualities in maintaining the health of the gastro-intestinal tract.
Vendakka Thoran / Okra Stir Fry is a delicious thoran which can be served with rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chopped Vendakka/ Ladies Finger / Okra- 1 cup
• Green Chilly (slit) - 2 nos
• Chopped Onion - 2 tbsp
• Grated Coconut - ¼ cup
• Curry leaves - 1 stem
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Red Chilly- 2 nos
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - As required

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 chopped Okra and Green Chilli and saute it.
• Add Salt and Turmeric powder to it.
• Stir well and slow down the flame and let it cook.
• When Okra is cooked well add grated coconut and curry leaves.
• Stir for 2 minutes and remove from fire.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice

Malli ila Dosa / Cilantro Pancake

Cilantro Dosa is a variety dosa which has a different taste from usual dosa. Grind Malli ila into a fine  paste and add it to the dosa batter to make this delicious dosa.

INGREDIENTS:

• Dosa batter - 2 cup
• Malli ila / Corriander leaves(chopped)- 1 cup
• Pearl Onion - 2 no
• Green chilly - 2 nos
• Chopped Ginger -  1 tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Grind Corriander leaves, pearl Onion, Green Chilly, Ginger and Salt together to make a fine paste.
• Add this paste to the Dosa batter and mix well.
• Heat a Frying Pan / Dosa Kalu.
• Pour one spoon full of batter on the 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 Chutney and Sambar.

Soya Biriyani

INGREDIENTS:

• Basmati rice – 2 cup
• Soya Chunks - 2 cup
• Chopped onions – 2 cup
• Tomato (chopped) – 1 no
• Diced Carrot and Peas– 1 cup 
• Green chilly – 2 nos
• Chopped Ginger - 1 tsp
• Chopped Garlic – 1 tsp
• Chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - ¼ tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Fennel seed Powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon – 2 one inch stick
• Cardamom – 3 nos
• Cloves – 3 nos
• Bay leaves – 2 nos
• Finely chopped coriander leaves - 1 cup
• Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Thinly sliced Onion - ½ cup 
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Wash and soak rice for 10 mins and then drain it. 
• 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.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy bottomed Pan.
• Fry thinly sliced onions(for garnishing) until golden brown and remove it and keep it aside.
• Add the remaining Ghee and fry cinnamon, cardamom and cloves together for a minute. 
• Crush  chopped Garlic and Ginger with Green Chillies .
• Add this to the pan along with chopped Onion and saute till translucent.
• Add chopped tomato and saute well.
• Add chili powder, coriander powder, fennel seed powder, turmeric Powder and garam masala and saute till the raw smell goes.
• Add Soya chunks, carrot and peas to it.
• Add ¼ cup water and salt to it and let it cook for 5 minutes.
• Add mint leaves and cilantro to it and cook for a minute.
• Add drained rice into it and mix well.
• Add 4 cups of water, salt(to taste) and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook.
• Remove from fire when the rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed.
• Garnish the Biryani with fried onion and chopped corriander leaves.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chicken Curry / pickle.

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.

Beetroot Cherupayar Thoran / Beetroot Moong daal Stir Fry

Beetroot Cherupayar thoran is a nutritious thoran.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely chopped Beetroot – ½ cup
• Moong Daal / Cherupayar - ½ cup
• Finely chopped Onion – 3 tbsp
• Roundly cut Green Chillies - 2 nos
• Grated Coconut – 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds- pinch
• Garlic - 1 nos
• Chilly powder - ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Red chillies - 2 nos
• Coconut Oil - 1 tsp
• 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.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chillies, allow to splutter.
• Add onions and green chillies , sauté until transparent.
• Add beetroot into it.
• Add turmeric powder,little water and salt.
• Slow down the flame and cover the pan and let it cook.
• Add Cooked Beans/ Moong Daal to it and mix well.
• Cook Beetroot and Beans together for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Add the crushed Coconut and mix well.
• Add Curry leaves and stir for 2 minutes and remove from fire.

Recommended Combination: It can be served with Rice / Chappathi.

Ethappazham Cutlet / Banana Cutlet

Ethappazham cutlet is a variety cutlet.I got this recipe from a blog "Pazham pappadam Payasam" while trying variety Banana based snack . I've modified this recipe in my own way.

INGREDIENTS:

• Rippened Banana- 2 no
• Sugar 1 - 1 tsp
• Grated Coconut - 1tbsp
• Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Bread crumbs - ½ cup
• All purpose flour - 1 tbsp
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook the bananas(with skin) in a steamer.
• Peel off the skin and mash well.
• Heat 1 tsp Ghee in a Pan.
• Add grated coconut and roast for 2 minutes.
• Add sugar and mashed banana in to it and mix well.
• Saute this mixture for 2 minutes in medium fire.
• Remove this from fire and let it cool.
• Make small balls from this mix and flatten them.
• Heat remaining ghee in a pan.
• Mix water with Maida in a bowl to make a thin batter like water.
• Dip the flattened patties in it and roll them in bread crumps.
• Fry each patties in ghee till it turns golden brown on both sides

Vanpayar kaya Mezhukkupuratti / Read beans &raw banana stir fry

This is a delicious side dish for rice. Its rich in protein and iron.

INGREDIENTS:

• Red Beans -  ½ Cup
• Raw Banana(cut into small pieces) - ½ Cup
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Red chilly - 2 nos
• Sliced Shallot - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - A few
• Coconut Oil -1 tbsp 
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Red Beans/ Vanpayarr in a Pressure cooker with  Water for 3 -4 whistle
• Cook Raw Banana in little water along with turmeric powder, Chilly powder and salt.
• Heat Oil in a Pan.
• Add Mustrard seeds and Red chillies into it, allow to Splutter.
• Add sliced shallot, Curry leaves and fry it.
• Put the cooked beans and cooked banana into it and fry utill it turns crisp.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice.

Amarapayar Carrot Thoran / Gour Beans and Carrot Stir Fry

Cluster beans / Gour Beans / Amarakka have several health benefits. Gour Beans contains Vitamins, folate, iron and potassium. Cluster beans are rich in the protein and fiber which regulate the bowel movements and relieve constipation.

cluster beans have a little bitter taste, but the sweetness of carrot and the bitter taste of beans gives this thoran a delicious taste.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely chopped Carrot- ½ cup
• Finely chopped Amarapayar / Gour Beans - ½ cup
• Roundly cut Green chillies - 6 nos
• Finely chopped Onion - ½ cup
• Grated Coconut - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Red Chilly- 2 nos
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 stem
• Salt - As required

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Carrot, Onion, Amara Payar / Gour Beans and Green Chilly with turmeric powder and salt in little Water.
• Add Grated coconut and mix well.
• Heat Oil in a pan.
• Add Mustard seeds and Red Chilli and let it splutter.
• Add Cooked Vegetables and Curry leaves.
• Stir well and slow down the flame and cook it for 2 mins.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice

Ottada

Ottada can be served during breakfast or at snack time. Ottada is a traditional food, ada wrapped in banana leaf roasted in 'cheena chatti'. The smell of roasted banana leaf takes me back to my childhood days.

INGREDIENTS:

• Roasted rice flour  - 2 cups
• Grated coconut - 1cup 
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Water  - As required to make dough
• Banana Leaves

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix the Grated Coconut and sugar for filling.
• Add Water and Salt to rice flour and make a dough like chappathi dough.
• Make the dough into small balls.
• Flatten the dough on a rectangular banana leaf using finger tips and little water. 
• Put a some coconut mix and spread it in one half of the ada.
• Fold the banana leaf in half. 
• Heat a Pan / Thava / Chatti.
• Put each ada in it and sprinkle some water.
• Cover it with a pan and cook in medium heat.
• Roast the ottada on both sides till the banana leaf turns brown and the ada detaches from the leaf.

Cabbage Vada

It is a quick and delicious snack. It tastes similar to parippu vada.

INGREDIENTS:

• Finely Chopped Cabbage - 1½ cup
• Finely chopped shallot - 10 nos or  Onion - ½ cup 
• Besan Flour / Gram Flour / Kadala Maavu  -  1½  cup
• Finely chopped Ginger - 1 tsp
• Red Chilly - 3 nos
• Curry Leaves - 1 stem
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix chopped shallot, chopped Ginger, chopped Red chilly, Curry leaves, Cabbage, salt and gram flour/ Kadala maavu.
• Make a thick batter using little water (like parippu vada consistency).
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Take small amount of the mixture and make a ball. 
• Flatten the ball in to a round shape using hand.
• When the oil is hot put each one slowly and fry both sides to a golden brown colour.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Black Coffee or Tea