First post of 2021.😊

1.Nendrapazham— Kerala banana.

The most healthy snack which can be had anytime of the day. Simply steam the nedrapazham with the skin for 5 mnts peel the skin drizzle some honey and have it or just the cut the nedrapazham into thick slice heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast till slightly brown on both the side have it with or without honey. If you have a sweet tooth, add some jaggery to the pan along the ghee, roast and have nedrapazham nurukku.

2.Aval cereal

Corn flakes is the most popular cereal had by most of us. Try something different and sure its healthy too and available easily. You will require aval / poha / flattened rice (thick varitey) one small cup, one banana, one glass milk, one teaspoon honey and one tablespoon scrapped coconut. Rinse the aval and soak in a glass of water for two mnts, drain it. Take a bowl add the aval, cut banana, honey, pour in the milk,sprinkle coconut and have a healthy cereal totally Indian style.

3. A smoothie

The last recipe is a breakfast drink. Cook 1 tablespoon of oats with 1 ½ glass of water, allow it to cool. Take 2 cups of cubed melon , one small banana, cooked oats and 2 teaspoon of honey, blend it all together and enjoy this healthy fruit drink.

A typical Kerala dish. The most favorite side dish for any Kerala tiffin in the likes of Aappam, Idiyappam or Puttu. I have made ishtu with only potatoes but it can also be prepared with other vegetables like carrot, beans or onion.

Ingredients

Potatoes — 2 big ones

Green chili —- 1

Ginger —- 1/2 inch pc

Coconut milk — 1 1/2 cup

Salt —- 3/4 tsp

Coconut oil —- 1 tbsp

Few curry leaves.

Method

Peel the skin of the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Slit the chili and cut the ginger into juliennes. Add 2 cups of water in a deep pan add the green chili and ginger to it and allow to boil for 2 minutes. Add the cut potatoes ,salt and cook the potatoes. Once the potatoes are half cooked add the coconut milk ,lower the flame and cook further till the potatoes are fully cooked and you get a creamy texture. Put of the heat drizzle the coconut oil and add the pinched curry leaves. Enjoy Ishtu.

( I have used the readymade coconut milk powder for the coconut milk.)

A very simple side dish, a glossy cauliflower curry. A curry you could have with chapati or jeera rice and dal.

Ingredients

Cauliflower — 1 medium size

Onion —- 2 medium size

Tomatoes —- 2 medium size

Green chili — 2

Ginger — 1 inch

Garlic pods — 3

Turmeric powder — 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder— 1/2 tsp

Salt —- 1 tsp

Corn flour —- 1 tbsp

Oil —- 2 tbsp

Fresh coriander leaves .

Method

Break and cut the cauliflower into medium florets. Now add 1 tsp of salt to 2-3 cup and add the florets to get rid of worms if any. After 10 minutes drain the florets. Heat 2 cups of water add the turmeric powder ,cauliflower florets and cook. Once the florets are cooked drain and keep aside. Grind together green chili, ginger and garlic together . Heat oil in a pan add the chopped onion and saute till the onions are translucent , now add the chili-ginger -garlic paste and saute for a minute add the cut tomatoes and further saute for two minutes. Add the florets , salt and red chili powder saute cover and cook. Mix half an cup of water to the corn flour, once the vegetables are cooked, lower the flame and add the cornflour mixture, mix well cook for an minute and put of the heat. Just before serving add chopped coriander leaves. Cauliflower 19 ready.

A very simple dish. Foodies who like kathirikai / brinjal/ eggplant / aubergine are sure to like it.

Ingredients

Small kathrikai —- 250gms

Curry powder —- 1 cup

Salt — 3/4 teaspoon

Oil —- 3-4 tablespoon.

Method

Wash and pat dry the kathrikai. Add salt to the curry powder and mix well. Remove the stem and slit the kathrikai in + – shape partially. Immediately stuff the  kathrikai with the curry powder. Heat a flat pan add oil and place the suffed kathrikai lower the flame, cover and cook. After 2 minutes turn the kathrikai close and cook again. Cook till kathrikai becomes soft. Enjoy kathrikai fry with mor kootaan or with a simple lemon rasam.

Curry Powder –

Roast 2 cups of channa dal along with 1/4 cup of dhaniya and 1/4 cup dry red chilli. Powder it a coarsely. You can store this Curry powder Add a spoon of curry powder to give an extra flavor to any vegetable fry or Sundal preparation.

Banana or any plantains tree’s has a unique feature ,every part of the tree is used in some way. The stem, vazaithandu can be used to make molagootal, pachadi, plantains or raw banana for mezhukkupurathi, poriyal,chips, and leaves….

When one hears the name Nendra kai immediately the picture that comes to our mind is the most famous chips. When you make chips don’t throw away the skin of the plantains .Here’s a recipe that is made with the skin of the plantians.

Recipe of chips

https://sujatasrecipes.blog/2018/07/05/nendrankai-kerala-banana-chips/

Ingredients

Nendram kai skin—- 2

Karamani /cow peas—- 1/2 cup

Coconut — 1/2 cup

Dry red chili—- 1

Turmeric pwd —- 1/2 teaspoon

Salt —- 3/4 teaspoon

Coconut oil —-1 tablespoon.

Method

Peel and remove the skin of the kai.(please ref to above link). Cut the skin into small pieces and immediately put it into a vessel with water, this will prevent the discolourization of the skin. Pressure cook the karamani.  Remove the cut kai skin from water and rinse it once again. Add 3/4 glass of water, with turmeric powder and salt and cook the kai skin for 10 minutes. Now add the cooked karamani ,dry red chili ,give a stir,lower the heat , cover and cook further 5 minutes. Add the coconut , mix everything together and put of the heat. Drizzle the coconut oil,add the curry leaves and enjoy Kai puzukku with red rice kanji.

A simple, easy, flavored rice that can be prepared quickly. An ideal dish for a lazy weekend!

Ingredients

Basmati rice —- 2 cups

Sweet corn —- 1 cup

Capsicum —- 1

Carrot —- 1

Onion —- 1

Soya sauce— 2 tablespoons

Vinegar — 2 tablespoons

Chilli sauce —- 1 teaspoon

Pepper powder — 1/2 teaspoon

Salt —- 1 1/2 teaspoons

Oil —- 2 tablespoons .

Method

Chop the onion ,capsicum ,carrot into small pieces . Cook the rice and spread it in a plate to cool it . Heat oil in a pan add the onion and fry them till they become translucent, now add the sweet corn and rest of the vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes. Now add soya sauce, vinegar, chilli sauce ,pepper powder ,salt and further sauté for 2 minutes put of the heat. Add the sautéed vegetables to the cooled rice and mix well. Enjoy Corn fried rice with potatoes wafers.

Chammanthi is a Malayalam word and its simply means chutney . Here’s a recipe for a spicy chutney / chammanthi which can be had with any tiffin or any meals.

Ingredients

Raw mango — 1

Shallot — 10-12 nos

Garlic — 6-7 pods

Coconut — 1/2 cup

Dry red chili — 5

Tamarind — small marble size

Mustard seeds — 1/2 tsp

Salt — 3/4 teaspoon

Coconut oil— 2 taps.

Method

Peel the shallots and garlic , cut the mango. Heat a pan add 1 1/2 tsp of oil add the garlic and fry for an minute ,add the shallots fry for further two minutes . Now add the dry red chili and fry till the chili becomes crisp. Put of the heat, add rest of the ingredients and sauté them . Cool it and grind it adding little water. Heat the remaining oil add the mustard seeds when they crackle add this to the chammanthi.

Celebrating Baba’s 95th birthday offered Aval paysam for neivedyam.

Ingredients :-

Aval — 1 cup ( 4 tablespoons)

Jaggery — 1 1/4 cup ( 6 tablespoons)

Milk —- 1/2 liter

Ghee — 2 tsp

Cashews & pistachios — 2 tsp

Method

Heat ghee in a pan, add the dry-fruits and fry them till they change color . Now add the aval and fry for a minute or till they turn little crisp. Lower the flame and slowly add the milk, stir and allow the aval to cook. Meanwhile add 3/4 glass of water to the jaggery and heat and allow it to boil for 4-5 minutes ,put of the heat. Once the aval is cooked use a strainer and add the the jaggery, stir and immediately put off the heat. ( don’t boil ,there are chances of curdling of milk.) Payasam ready.

Chocolate! A favorite for everyone,nobody says no to it. Here’s a sweet which has a flavor of chocolate.

Ingredients

Maida burfi
Ghee — 1/2 cup
Sugar—  2 cup
Maida — 1 1/2 cup

Choco  maida burfi
Ghee — 1/2 cup
Sugar—  2 cup
Maida — 1 1/2 cup
Choco powder— 2 tablespoons

Method

Maida burfi. Heat ghee in a pan, add the Maida and fry it in low heat. Fry for about two minutes till the raw smell goes off. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan add the sugar and half an glass of water. Keep stirring the sugar syrup till you get a one string consistency. Add the fried maida, mix well and put off the heat. Keep stirring till you get a thick consistency. Put on heat and stir for half an minute. Pour this mixture on a pre greased tray or a tray with butter papper.

Choco maida burfi. The procedure is the same as of maida burfi. The extra step is you need to add the choco powder once the raw smell of maida goes, stir it along the maida for a minute and remove and keep it aside. Repeat the procedure of sugar syrup and incorporate the choco maida mixture. Once the choco maida mixture comes together pour it over the maida burfi.

Cool the burfi for 10 minutes and then cut the burfi into pieces.

Enjoy Choco maida burfi.

Diwali festival of lights is just round the corner.Here is a simple but tasty ladoo preparation.

Ingredients

Kadalai paruppu — 1 cup
Sugar —- 1 cup+
Ghee —- 1/2 — 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder —- 1/2 teaspoon
Few chopped almonds.