RAVA /SEMOLINA KHICHDI

 

 INGREDIENTS

 

RAVA  / SEMOLINA-  1 1/2 CUPS

 

WATER-  3 CUPS

 

SALT TO TASTE

 

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

 

GRATED GINGER- 1 TSP

 

FINELY CHOPPED GREEN CHILLIES- 3 NOS

 

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 TBSP

 

OIL- 1 TBSP

 

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

 

URAD DAL- 1 TSP

 

GRAM DAL- 1 TSP

 

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

 

 

VEGETABLES

 

ONION- 2 NOS

 

TOMATOES- 2 NOS

 

CARROT- 2 NOS

 

CAPSICUM- 2 NOS

 

BEANS- 6-7 NOS

 

 

 

METHOD

 

Dry roast rava for few minutes and keep it aside.

In a pan heat oil add mustard. When it starts to splutter,add chopped onions,salt and fry till it turns translucent.

Add green chillies,grated ginger, curry leaves,turmeric powder,chopped tomatoes and other veggies and fry well.

Transfer roasted rava over the fried veggies. Boil water and add it over the fried veggies and boil till the rava absorbs all the water.

 

Switch off and add a dollop of ghee over the khichdi and serve with chutney/ sambar.

 

 

 

 

 

CAPSICUM MASALA GRAVY

      

 INGREDIENTS

 

CAPSICUM-  4 NOS MEDIUM SIZE

 

 

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND

 

ONIONS- 2 NOS

 

TOMATOES-  2 NOS

 

GARLIC CLOVES- 4 NOS

GINGER MINCED- 1 TSP

 

CORIANDER SEEDS-  1 1/2 TSP

 

CUMIN SEEDS-  1/4 TSP

 

CLOVES- 3 NOS

 

 

OTHER INGREDIENTS

 

OIL- 1 TBSP

 

BAY LEAVES- 1

 

CINNAMON- 2 NOS

 

CHILLI POWDER- 1 TSP

 

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

 

GARAM MASALA POWDER- 1/2 TSP

 

COCONUT GRATINGS- 1 1/2 TBSP

CASHEW NUTS- 6-7 NOS

 

SALT TO TASTE

KASOORIMETHI- 1 TSP

METHOD

 

Wash and chop capsicums to cubes and keep it aside. In a pan heat 4 tsp of oil and fry the chopped veggie till it turns little soft and switch off.

 

Grind all the ingredients cited in the column "to grind "to fine paste using little water.

 

Grind coconut gratings and cashews to thick paste and keep it aside.

In a pan heat oil and add bay leaf,cinnamon and add the ground paste ,salt ,turmeric powder,chilli powder,and fry till the raw smell of the paste goes off.

Transfer the fried capsicum to the gravy and simmer in mild heat.

Now add the coconut and cashew paste over this and don't boil too long after adding the coconut paste.

Garnish with crushed dried kasoori methi and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

BRINJAL MASALA CURRY

 

 INGREDIENTS  TO  GRIND

COCONUT GRATINGS-  1 CUP

PEPPERCORNS-  1/8 TSP

FENNEL SEEDS-  1/2 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1.4 TSP

OTHER INGREDIENTS

BRINJAL  STRIPED VARIANT- 500 GRAMS

CHOPPED ONIONS- 2 NOS

CHOPPED TOMATOES- 2 NOS

CHILLI POWDER- 1 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

FOR TEMPERING

OIL- 1 TBSP

FENNEL SEEDS- 1/4 TSP

CINNAMON- 1 STICK

CLOVES- 2 NOS

 

METHOD

 

Grind coconut gratings,fennel seeds,peppercorns and cumin seeds and water and grind to fine paste. 

Wash and chop brinjal to small cubes and keep it aside. In a pan heat oil add fennel seeds,curry leaves,cloves,cinnamon stick.

 

Over this add chopped brinjal and add half the quantity of salt and turmeric powder. Fry till the veggie pieces turn soft and switch off the stove.

 

In another pan heat oil and add  chopped onions, add remaining salt,curry leaves and fry till the onions turn translucent.

Over this add chopped tomatoes and fry till tomatoes turn mushy. Add coconut paste and fry till the paste blends well the sauteed veggies.

 

Now transfer  the sauteed brinjal to the onion,tomato and coconut  mixture and mix well.

 

MADRAS KARA URULAI CURRY

 

 Urulai translates to Potato in Tamil and kara is Tamil word for spicy. This curry is  part of Tamil Brahmin wedding menu. The original recipe calls for baby potatoes. But I tweaked the recipe by using big size potatoes. I learnt this spicy yummy dish from a cookery show.

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND

CORIANDER SEEDS- 5 TSP

 

RED CHILLIES-  6 NOS

 

ASAFOETIDA- 1/2 TSP

 

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

 

 

OTHER  INGREDIENTS

POTATOES-  300 GRAMS

 

 

FOR SEASONING

 

OIL-  1 TBSP

MUSTARD -1 TSP

URAD DAL- 1 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

METHOD

Wash and peel potato skin and chop it. Steam cook chopped potatoes and keep it aside.

Grind raw coriander seeds,red chillies,asafoetida to fine paste using water.

 

In a pan heat oil and add mustard. When it splutters,add split urad dal. When it turns brown add curry  curry leaves and the ground paste.

 

Add salt to the paste and fry till the raw smell goes off. 

Now add the steamed potatoes to the gravy and mix well.

 

If you are using baby potatoes,then marinate the same in the ground paste for thirty minutes and then add it to the seasoning and fry well.

 

 

 

CORN FLOUR PAKODA / PAKORA

 

INGREDIENTS

 

CORN FLOUR-  2  CUPS

 

CHOPPED ONIONS-  1 1/2 CUPS

 

CHOPPED CURRY LEAVES- 1 TBSP

 

CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES- 1 TBSP

 

FENNEL SEEDS- 1 1/2 TSP

 

MINCED GINGER- 1 TSP

 

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLIES- 3 NOS

 

SALT TO TASTE

 

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

GHEE-  2 TSP

COOKING SODA-  1/8  TSP

OIL FOR FRYING

METHOD

In a wide bowl add all the above cited ingredients.

Add 3 tsp of hot oil to the corn flour mixture. Sprinkle water to the corn flour and mix to crumble consistency.

 

Slowly add water and hold the dough to check the consistency. Take care not to add too much of water as you will miss the crispy texture.

Heat oil in a pan and pinch the dough and drop it in hot oil . Fry till the pakodas turn crisp. 

 

 

TIPS FOR ENHANCING SAMBAR FLAVOUR

1. Always grind ingredients to little coarse powder instead of grinding to very fine powder.

 

2. While roasting ingredients,reserve half the quantity of coriander seeds. In the mixer jar add all the      roasted ingredients along with the raw coriander seeds and then grind to powder. Raw coriander seeds will impart nice aroma to the dish.

3. Adding sauteed and ground paste of onion or shallots and dry coconut will enhance the flavour of sambar.




4  .If you prefer slight masala flavour in the sambar add 1/2 inch stick of cinnamon,1 tsp of fennel seeds and roast along with other requisite ingredients and powder it.

 5. Add sambar powder after adding steamed toor dal to retain the flavour of the powder.

 

 6 . Reserve half the quantity of sambar powder and season it in hot oil and switch off when it sizzles. Take care not to burn it. Transfer the seasoned powder to the sambar and at the end and boil for few minutes.

 

                                       

RAW BANANA & YAM ERISSERY

 Erissery is a traditional curry prepared in Kerala. Its an integral part of Onam Sadhya and Kerala wedding menu. Its prepared using any veggie like pumpkin,raw banana or yam. 

 

INGREDIENTS

CHOPPED RAW BANANA-  1 CUP

CHOPPED YAM-  1 CUP

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

 

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND

 

COCONUT GRATINGS-  1 CUP

 

RED CHILLIES- 4 NOS

 

PEPPERCORNS- 3/4 TSP

 

CUMIN SEEDS- 1/4 TSP

 

 

 

FOR TEMPERING

 

COCONUT OIL-  5 TSP

 

RED CHILLIES- 2 NOS

 

MUSTARD- 1 TSP

 

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

 

 

 

METHOD

 

 Boil chopped yam and raw banana pieces along with salt,water and turmeric powder to slightly mushy consistency and keep it aside.

Grind coconut gratings,red chillies,peppercorns and cumin seeds to coarse paste.

Add the ground paste to the boiled vegetables and simmer in  mild heat till the paste blends well.

Heat coconut oil and add all the ingredients cited in tempering column.

Add the tempering to the boiled vegetable mixture and mix well.

Garnish with roasted coconut gratings and serve.

 

VERMICELLI TOMATO BATH

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

ROASTED VERMICELLI- 200 GRAMS

 

WATER- 2 1/2 CUPS 

 

ONIONS-  2 NOS

 

TOMATOES- 2 NOS

 

CHILLI POWDER- 3/4 TSP

 

GARAM MASALA POWDER- 1/2 TSP

 

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

 

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

 

CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES

 

SALT TO TASTE

 

 

INGREDIENTS TO GRIND

 

COCONUT GRATINGS-  1 1/2 TBSP

 

GREEN CHILLIES= 2 NOS

 

GARLIC CLOVES- 3 NOS

 

GINGER- SMALL PIECE

 

 

FOR TEMPERING 

OIL-  1 TBSP

BAY LEAF-  1

CLOVES-  2 NOS

CINNAMON- 1

 

 

 

 METHOD

Grind coconut gratings,garlic cloves and ginger and green chillies to fine paste and keep it aside.

In a pan heat oil add bay leaf,cloves,cinnamon and add chopped onions and curry leaves. Add salt and saute till it turns translucent.

 

Add chopped tomatoes and saute till it becomes mushy. Then add turmeric powder,chilli powder,and saute till it blends well.

 

Now add in the ground coconut paste and simmer in mild heat for few minutes.Add garam masala powder over.

 

Add 2 1/2 cups of boiling water over the sauteed coconut paste.

 

Reduce  heat and slowly add the roasted vermicelli. Boil till the vermicelli softens and gets cooked.

Add a teaspoon of ghee over the cooked vermicelli and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

 

 

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