Sesame Seed and Tomato Chutney

A spicy and sweet  tomato chutney ground with sesame seeds and coconut. I love to have this chutney with rave dosa or Rava /Semolina Rotti 😋

Ingredients:
Serves:4

•  Tomatoes,chopped - 1 or 100 gm.
• Onion thinly sliced- 1 or 100 gm.
• Sesame (til) seeds- 1 tbsp.
• Oil- 1 tbsp.
• Coconut- 1 tsp.
• Red chilly powder-1&1/2 tsp or according to your taste.
• Small piece of jaggery or 1/4 tsp sugar.
• Pinch of hing / asafoetida .
• Salt to taste- 1/2 tsp or according to your taste.
• Turmeric-1/4 tsp.
• Small piece of ginger.

For the tempering:

• Oil-1 tsp.
• Whole red chilies-2.
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp.
• Few curry leaves chopped.

Method :

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan add in the onion & saute till transparent,add in the sesame seeds & keep stirring till onions till light brown.

• Add in the red chilly powder,turmeric,hing,ginger,coconut & saute for a sec.
• Add in the tomatoes along with jaggery, salt & cover & cook further for 10 mins.

• Till the tomatoes are cooked & thick.
• Remove from heat & allow to cool,blend to a paste & remove to a bowl.

For the tempering:

• Heat oil in a pan add the mustard seeds allow it to crackle.
• Add in the whole red chilies & curry leaves saute for a sec.
• Remove from heat ,add to the chutney & mix well.

• Serve with dosas or Rava /Semolina Rotti  It's Yummy 😋

Carrot Halwa in Coconut Milk

Sweets, snacks, crackers & diyas are all back to announce the arrival of Diwali. Diwali is celebrated with enthusiasm & happiness in India, This festival is a favorite of mine, love lighting diyas all around the house .I wish all my readers a happy Diwali 😊
Some dishes are never out of trend & that's carrot halwa, regular carrot halwa is made with milk, koya or condensed milk, this time i cooked with coconut milk & it was yummy.

You can serve it warm or cold or with ice cream 😋

 

 Ingredients:
Serves : 4

• 1.5 cup grated carrot.
• 2 tbsp grated copra (dry coconut).
• 1.5 cup thick coconut milk.
• 1/4 cup brown sugar.
• 1/2 tsp rose water.
• Pinch of saffron.
• 1 tbsp ghee.
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder.
• Handful of  cashew nuts & raisins.

Method:

• Heat ghee in a non-stick pan add the cashew nuts saute till light brown,remove the fried nuts from the pan & keep aside.
• In the same pan add the grated carrots, raisins, grated copra, saffron & saute for 5 mins on medium flame.
• Add the coconut milk & cook till the liquid is reduced , add the brown sugar & keep stirring occasionally till dry & the oil oozes out & the carrots are separated.
• Add the cashew nuts,cardamom powder, rose water & mix well, saute for another 2 -3 mins.
• Remove from flame.

• Serve warm with or without ice cream 😋

Palada Payasam

Festivals are events when a community celebrates some important aspect of that community & its traditions.It is often marked as a local or national event. Festival days are the moment of joy that takes us to our childhood days. I have had happy days celebrating vishu (new year )& onam. As onam is approaching on September 7th i recall the time onam was celebrated with my parents & that's the day dad invited his factory workers,neighbors & we our neighbors....for sadhya(lunch). Mom & the servants used to keep ready all the masalas & we used to help in cutting & chopping all the vegetables ready the day before the onam. Now i wonder how she managed to cook for so many people.As years pass by,my appreciation for her grows in leaps & bounds.My sister, friends & i would love to serve food to all our guests.

One of the most important tradition was the pookalam(Rangoli) A flower mat or carpet that is made of different colors of flowers is visible in every house in the state of Kerala. This was dad's job he used to enjoy doing the rangoli my sister & i used to separate the different colored flowers keep it ready for him. I still remember the smile on his face once it was ready. Now after marriage i make my husband do the rangoli he makes a different designs every year.

 

Pookalam(Rangoli)

Food is a very important part of celebrating all festival, the mains & desserts or sweets.
Here i am posting my favorite Ada payasam.

Ada payasam

Ada payasam can be done with rice or vermicelli, Ada(rice flakes)is made from grounded rice paste & spread in a banana leaves then rolled & placed into boiling water to make the rice flakes.I Find it difficult & have never made it as now a days you get ready to use Ada which is available in most grocery stores. It is a common sweet dish but this is how i make it....

Rice Ada flakes

Ingredients:
Serves : 5

• 100 gm Rice Ada
• 1 litre milk.
• A pinch of saffron.
• 1/8 cup milkmaid.
• 2 tbsp sugar or according to your taste.
• 1/2 tsp freshly crushed cardamom powder.
• 1/4 cup thick coconut milk.
• 1 tbsp ghee.
• Few dry fruits ( cashew nuts,almond,raisins).

Method:

• Wash the rice Ada well & soak it for 10 min then drain the water & keep aside.
• Boil the milk & keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed vessel add 2 cups milk, 2 cups water with a pinch of saffron & allow it to boil reduce the flame.
• Add the Ada(rice flakes) & cook on medium flame till the Ada is cooked (if the Ada is not cooked & the milk is reduced add little more milk).
• Stir continuously to avoid sticking to the vessel.
• When the Ada is tender add 1/8 cup milkmaid & 1/2 cup milk ,simmer on medium flame & make sure to keep stirring.
• Add 2 tblsp sugar (it depends on how sweet you want) & cardamom powder when it boils add 1/4 cup thick coconut milk & simmer for 5 mins & remove from flame in semi consistency as it thickens after sometime.
• Heat ghee in another pan saute the dry fruits for 1 min & add to the payasam.
• Serve hot or cold.

Note: The quantity of milk can be added if you find the payasam too thick.
         This payasam is thick & richer & light yellowish color.

Beetroot Pulao

Pulao is a rice dish that i cook quite frequently especially when i am in a hurry & have limited time. Its a one pot meal with with a variety of vegetables ,rice &  condiments( masalas) mixed together & then cooked in a pressure cooker. I only had beetroot in a refrigerator & i have never used beetroot for anything else but as a side dish(upkari), so i thought why not i try it out for pulao/ pilaf.

I have had this recipe written long time back never tried it so i went ahead & it was the best decision...I enjoyed the taste & it looked appealing, The reddish pink color mixed with the green of the coriander leaves looked a perfect color match. I cooked it in coconut milk  giving it a sweet flavorsome taste. Do try this one out you will end up cooking it frequently all the big kids & the little kids will love it....    

Preparation time:5-10 mins.
Cooking time: 10-15 min
Serves:2
 Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice.
• 100 gm beetroot.
• 7 green chilies.
• 2 cups thin coconut milk.
• 1/ 100 gm onion.
• 2 medium tomatoes.
• 4 clove garlic.
• 1/4''ginger.
• 1/8 cup coconut oil.
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves.
• 1/4 cup mint leaves.
• 1/2 tsp shahajeera.
• 1 tsp coriander powder.
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
• 1/2 tsp jeera/ cumin powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder or according to your taste.
• Few cashew nuts.

Whole garam masala : 1 black cardamom, 2 green cardamom,2''cinnamon, 1 star anise, 4 cloves.

Method:

• Wash the rice well drain the water & keep aside.
• Wash the beetroot,peel the skin & mince it finely.
• Blend coarsely the garlic, ginger & green chilies.

• Roast the rice in 1 tsp coconut oil for 5 min on medium flame & keep aside.

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker add in the shahajeera, whole garam masala & thinly sliced onions saute till light brown.

• Add cashew nuts,coarsely ground ingredients & keep stirring for 3 mins.

• Add the coriander powder,turmeric powder,chilly powder,salt to taste ,jeera powder,chopped tomatoes & cook till tomatoes are cooked.

• Add the coriander leaves,mint leaves & minced beetroot saute for 3 min.

• Pour in the coconut milk mix well allow it to boil.

•  Add the rice mix well,close the cooker & cook for 2 whistles.

• Take off the flame when the pressure drops open the lid & fluff it lightly with a fork.

• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with Cucumber Raita & Tangy Spicy Tomato Pickle 😋     

        

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• Vegetable & Fruit Biryani

• Broken Wheat (Dalia) Prawn Pulao

• Sprouted Moong Pulao

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.