Broad Beans Stir-Fry

Broad beans / avvarakkai stir-fry from my sister's kitchen:
  
  This is a quick & simple recipe that requires only 3 main ingredients... could be a side dish or an accompaniment for a vegetarian meal, ever since i tasted it from my sisters place, i loved it very much & i wanted to add it to my blog... So my loving sister took out pics when she next prepared the dish & send it to me..Thanks Reena 👍

I was not very fond of broad beans as a child & i remember dad who used to love gardening had a patch of broad beans in his factory garden. He used to take us there on Sundays & we used to love picking beans we used to lay bets on who will pluck the most broad beans as it was not easy task to differentiate the beans from the leaves & it used to be our game picking beans, as a child i hated  this vegetable but now i have acquired an appreciation for this simple vegetable ...I do hope you will give it a try 😊

 Ingredients:
Serves : 3

• 250 gm avarakkai / broad beans. 
• 9 large size shallots / sambhar onions.
• 5-6 red chilies(according to your taste)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
• Few curry leaves.
• Salt to taste.
• 2 tbsp coconut oil or any other oil.

Method:

            Wash the beans well & remove the fiber from the sides.

             Cut them into two or three pieces.

              Crush the shallots & the red chilies in a blinder, remove the paste & keep aside.

               Add about 3-4 tbsp water in the blender mix well & keep aside the masala water.
               Heat oil in a non-stick pan add the curry leaves & saute for a sec.
               Add the crushed masala & saute for 1 min.
               Add the beans, turmeric powder, salt & the masala water mix well.
              Cover & cook till dry do not overcook it.
               Serve hot as a side dish..

Malabari egg korma

Eggs can be cooked in a variety of ways...Fry them, boil them, add in cakes & biscuits......no matter what time of the day if you have them in fridge you can make a simple satisfying meal that is loved by all at home. Most people do not like eating raw eggs & i am sure 98% hate eating raw eggs.

Coming back to this Malabari dish it's a combination of roasted coconut & saunf goes well with ghee rice & parathas (Indian bread).

Preparation time: 10-15min.
Cooking time:15-20 min.
Serves :4
Ingredients: 

• 3-4 hard boiled eggs.
• 1/2 cup grated coconut.
• 1 tsp+1 tsp+2 tbsp coconut oil or any other oil.
• 1/2 tsp saunf / fennel seeds.
• 2 tsp pepper corns.
•  1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
• 1 tsp red chilli powder or Kashmiri chilli powder.
• 1 large / 100 gm onions minced. 
• 1 tsp grated ginger.
•  1 tsp coriander powder.
• 1/2 tsp jeera / cumin powder.
• 2 medium tomatoes( puree).
• 3-4 green chilies minced.
• Few curry  leaves.
• 2 whole red chilies.
• Salt to taste.
• 1/4 cup coriander leaves.

Method:

• Heat 1 tsp oil in pan add the grated coconut & roast on a medium flame, when its about to be brown it might take 5-7 min, add the saunf & the pepper corns & keep frying till the coconut turns to a golden color which might take another 5 min..Off the flame & keep stirring till its cooled down. Add the turmeric & grind to a fine paste.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan add the minced onion, green chilies & fry to a golden color.
• Add the grated ginger & saute for a sec.
• Add the coriander powder, jeera powder, chilly powder & saute for sec.
• Add the tomato paste,1 tbsp coriander leaves & keep stirring till the raw smell goes.
• Add the ground masala paste,salt to taste & about 1/2-1 cup water & let it boil.
• Cook till you get a semi thick gravy, add the rest of the coriander leaves.
• Cut the egg in half & lay it over the gravy & simmer for 5 min off the flame.
• In another pan heat 1 tsp oil when hot carefully add the curry leaves & the whole red chilies saute for a sec & pour over the egg curry & cover it immediately.
• Serve hot with Kerala parottas.

Sprouted Moong Pulao

Sprouted moong pulao or you can call it khichdi is  packed with rich protein .This dish is delicious & easy to make. You can always keep some sprouts ready in your fridge so you can make a healthy meal. Making sprouts is much easier at home. I always make sprouts at home all you need is 2-3 days to sprout your bean seeds.

Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked basmati rice.
• 1 cup sprouted moong.
• 1/4 cup peanuts crushed.
• 100 gm /1 large onion minced.
• 7-8 green chilies sliced.
• Few curry leaves.
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee.
• 1/2 tsp jeera / cumin seeds.
• 1 large stick cinnamon.
• 5 cloves.
• Pinch of asafoetida/hing.
• 1 tsp ginger, garlic paste. 
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder.
• 1 tsp biryani masala powder or curry powder.
• 1/2 cup tomato paste.
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves.
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. 
• Salt to taste.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan add the jeera when it splutters add the cinnamon, cloves, hing, curry leaves & saute for a sec.
• Add the minced onions,green chilies & fry till light brown.
• Add the ginger, garlic paste & fry for a sec.
• Add  all the masala powders, salt & half of the coriander leaves & saute for a sec.
• Add the sprouts & the tomato paste & keep stirring till dry.
• Add about 3/4 cup water when it boils cover & cook till the moong is cooked & the gravy is reduced to half.
• Add half of the crushed peanuts, cooked rice & mix well.
• Sprinkle the rest of the crushed peanuts & the coriander leaves cover & place it on hot tava for 10 min or till its dry.
• Serve with you choice of pickles & poppadoms.

Stuffed Chilli Bajji

Stuffed chili green peppers/ mirch bajji a very popular street snack & delicious too. The first thought while preparing bajji is that it's the monsoon season, heavy rains & cooler weather to have hot spicy bajji with hot steaming coffee or tea while reading a book or having family & friends over to share with this great comfort food...

They are different ways of stuffing chili pepper, the most popular one is mashed potatoes or with besan/chickpea flour.I gave it a twist with mixed vegetable in an oriental chinese method & dipped in idli batter, turned out well & tasty & so i am sharing  this recipe with you  ''The Stuffed chilli Bajji''


Ingredients:

• 7 -8 long bajji chilies / green peppers.
• About 2-3 cups leftover idli batter( the batter should be thick).

For the stuffing:

• 1 cup spring onion greens chopped finely.
• 3/4 cup cabbage sliced finely .
• 3/4 cup grated carrot.
• 1 onion thinly sliced.
• 1 tbsp oil + oil to deep fry.
• 1 tsp minced green chilly.
• 1 tsp ginger , garlic paste.
• 1 tsp soy sauce.
• 1 tbsp crushed pepper.
• 1 tbsp tomato chilli sauce.
• Salt to taste.

Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan add the minced green chilli, ginger garlic paste & saute for a sec.
• Add the onion, carrot & saute till the onions are transparent.
• Add the cabbage & stir fry for a min.
• Add the soy sauce, crushed pepper, salt, tomato sauce & cook till dry.
• Off the flame & add the spring onions greens & mix well.
•  Keep aside to cool.

• The👆 pic shows the filling mixture for the bajji.
• Wash & pat dry the chilies & make a vertical slit & remove the seeds carefully without breaking the chilies.
• Stuff the filling mixture inside the chilies carefully.

• As shown in the 👆 pic & keep aside.
• Heat oil ( to deep fry) in a kadai, once the oil is hot reduce the flame to medium.
• Now dip the stuffed chilies in the idli batter such a way that the chilies are well coated with the batter on all sides.
• Drop the chilies carefully into the oil & fry on both sides till golden brown.
• Remove from oil & place it on paper towel to remove excess oil.
• Repeat the same process with rest of the stuffed chilies.

• Serve hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup 😋

 

 

 

Meen (fish) Pathri

Fish pathri a traditional Malabari snack  especially more common in the Muslim community in Kerala.....It is served on special occasions.I remember during one of those school days when i had been to my maternal grandmother's house in Mahe,my grandmother's friend cum neighbor who was a Muslim used to  prepare this pathri for Ramadan  they used to  prepare a variety of other yummy dishes to go with it. It is here i tasted this dish & found it very appetizing . once i started to cook i called my aunt for the recipe, it's easy but you have to follow a long process. Fish pathri is a meal by itself, you can have it for dinner or as a snack, it's similar to a fish pie or stuffed paratha. you can make it with king fish ( Spanish mackerel),small size prawns. minced meat or chicken.

Ingredients:

• 200 gm parboiled rice.
• 1/2 cup grated coconut.
• 1/2 tsp saunf / fennel seeds.
• Salt to taste.

 Method :   Click here 👉 How to make rice dough  

     

• To make the rice dough click here 👉 How to make rice dough with parboiled rice or with rice flour ( easy method) If you are making it with rice flour  mix in the coarsely ground coconut, saunf  & then knead it well & keep aside, i prefer the parboiled rice its more tasty.....

     
Ingredients for the stuffing:

• 100 gm pomfret slices.
• 1-2 tsp fish masala powder.
• 1 medium onion minced finely.
• 1 tsp ginger, garlic paste.
• 1/2 tsp chilly powder (according to your taste)
• 1/2 tsp jeera /cumin powder.
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder.
• salt to taste.
• Few curry leaves.
• 1 tomato minced finely.
•  1 +2 tbsp oil.

Method:

• Wash the fish well & marinate the fish in chilly powder, jeera powder turmeric powder & salt to taste for at least 1/2 an hr.
• In a non-stick pan add 2 tbsp oil & fry the fish  on both sides, remove the fish, de-bone it & cut into small pieces.
• In the same pan add 1tblsp oil ( if required) add the minced onion fry till transparent add the ginger-garlic paste & the curry leaves & saute for a while add the fish masala powder & the tomato & cook till the tomatoes turn to a paste add the fish pieces check the salt & keep stirring till the mixture is dry.
• Remove & keep aside to cool.

       

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         Take 2 small portion of the rice dough & place it on 2 square banana leaf  & flatten it with 
          your palm into 2 round shape (pathri's).

           Place a spoonful of the filling on one of the pathri & spread evenly leaving half a inch along 
            the edges ( As shown in the 👆image).

           Cover it with the second pathri & press down the edges with your fingers or press it with a fork to seal the edges ( As shown in the👆image ).Place it in a steamer & steam it until well cooked for about 15-20 mins.

  If  your using raw rice then steam it for 10-15 min.Remove from the steamer peel off the banana leaf  & let it cool.

            

Cut into 4 pieces & enjoy!!!! 
 

INDONASIA MUTTON FRY

A delicious & succulent mutton recipe made with aromatic spices....found this incredibly recipe from a magazine many years back, cooked umpteen times & goes well with parathas....Tender mutton cooked in coconut milk & spices..... you can either cook it with thick gravy or cook it dry till all the gravy is reduced & the fat from the coconut milk is left in the bottom of the pan creating a light sweet & spicy taste.... the effort is beyond worth it :)

Preparation time:15-20 min.
Cooking time : 25-30 min.
Serves : 3

Ingredients:

• 500 gm lean mutton.
• 2 onions.
• 7 -8 red chilies.
• 1/4'' ginger.
• 4 cloves garlic.
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
• 1 cup thick coconut milk.
• 2 cup thin coconut milk.
• 2 tsp roasted coriander seeds.
• 2 tbsp oil.
• 1/2 tsp roasted jeera.
• Salt to taste.
• 1-2 tsp freshly crushed pepper.
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.

Method :

• Wash & chop meat in chunks & place in a bowl.
• Chop onions & place half to one side.
• Grind chilies, garlic, ginger, coriander leaves, half the onion, turmeric & coriander seeds to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a cooker add the remaining onions & saute till transparent.
• Add the meat, ground paste, crushed pepper, salt & the thin coconut milk & keep stirring till it boils.
• Add 1/2 cup water if required, close the cooker & give 4-5 whistles ( till mutton is tender, number of whistles depends upon the quality of the mutton )
• Open the  the pressure drops add the thick coconut milk & continue to cook until the liquid has been almost completely reduced.
• Serve hot with parathas. 

Squid Biryani

Squid / koonthal that's a Malayalam name, a delightfully unique & delicious biryani prepared for the first time 2 days back & thought of adding this recipe  to my blog...Just give it a try.... Squid must be cooked either for a short time or for a long time, anything in between turns into rubbery 2-3 min on high heat is enough otherwise it will take 30 min to an hr to cook.

Ingredients:
Serves: 4

• 2 cups basmati rice or Kerala biryani rice,
• 200-250 gm squid .
• 1 cup thick coconut milk.
• 2 cups thin coconut milk.
• 2 onions thinly sliced.
• 2 tomatoes.
• 1/4 cup oil + 2 tbsp ghee.
• Few curry leaves.
• Salt to taste.
• 2 tomatoes.

Grind to a paste;

• 7 green chilies.
• 1 handful chopped coriander leaves.
• 3 red chilies.
•  1 tbsp biryani masala powder or curry powder.
• 8 clove garlic.
• 1/2'' ginger.
• 1 tsp jeera.

Method:

• Remove the skin of the squid cut in round slices & clean well in running water.
• Marinate squid in 1 tsp chilly powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, salt to taste,1/4 tsp jeera powder& keep aside.
• In a pan add 1/4 cup oil when hot add the thinly sliced onions fry till its golden brown, remove keep aside.
• In the same pan add the marinated squid fry for 3-4 min, remove & keep aside.
• In the same pan( if required add 1 tbsp oil) add the curry leaves saute for a while.
• Add the ground masala & fry till the raw smell goes.
• Add the tomatoes, salt & cook till the tomatoes are mashed well.
• Add the thin coconut milk once it starts boiling add the squid & let it boil for 2-3 min.
• Add the thick milk once it starts boiling off the flame & keep aside.

For the rice:

• Boil 3 1/2 cups water & 1/2 gravy from the squid masala & keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan when hot add the whole garam masala ,the rice & saute for 5 min.
• Add the hot water, salt to taste & cook on low flame till the liquid is absorbed .
• Fluff it with a fork & keep aside.

In another pan spread 1/2 of the squid masala on top of it spread a layer of  1/2 of the cooked rice on top  spread the rest of the squid masala  lastly spread rest of the cooked rice. Close it with a tight fitting lid  & bake it for 30-45 min on low temp or place the vessel on a hot tava for 1/2 an hr.
When serving garnish with the fried onions.
Serve hot with pickles & poppadoms.