Dosa

Dosa for breakfast today, from yesterday's idli batter.

Chamanthi, gun powder/mulgapodi and yummy dosa

Olan

Olan is one of the simplest and tastiest dishes I have ever come across, just green chillies and coconut oil to flavor the whole dish. My mom would make it using coconut milk, but I like it just plain and without the richness of the coconut milk. When I use to cut the pumpkin for my mom she would always remind me to cut them into flat squares and not cubes. She had all these rules about how each vegetable should be cut for each dish, and these rules I think are followed by most Keralites. Because when I got married my husband and his family had the same vegetable cutting rules. I usually serve this with something sour like rasam or tomato dal , just to offset the blandness and balance the meal. Indian meals are all about balancing different flavors.

1 cup white pumpkin

1/2 cup yellow pumpkin

1/4 cup little red beans/chori/adzuki beans

3 green chilies

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tbsp coconut oil

salt to taste

Slice the pumpkins into flat squares(not cubes) about one inch in size.

Cook the beans in a pressure cooker for one whistle.

Cook the pumpkin and beans in 1 cup water, with salt and green chillies till tender.

Once cooked take off heat, add curry leaves and coconut oil.

Serve as a side-dish with a sour based curry(tomato dal, sambar, rasam etc) and rice.

Tomato dal mixed with rice and Olan

Kuruku Kalan

From the top Vazhaka mezhuvaratti(Raw plantain fry), Muringa ela kootan(Drumstickleaves curry), Kuruku kalan, and Rice

I had a lot of sour curds in the fridge, and what else can a Mallu make with sour curds but kuruku kalan. I could also make moru curry or puliserry,but I was feeling nostalgic, and kuruku kalan would be the perfect remedy for my homesickness. In this recipe the curds are cooked and evaporated till it reduces to almost half and can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. I usually make it with 2 cups of curd, so I have enough evaporated curd to make kalan twice. I learned to make this dish from my mother-in-law, who is from Puthcode. This curry is very different from Moru kootan where raw curds are added to the dish and then cooke. Whereas in kuruku kalan the curd is cooked and exaporated first and then added to the dish and cooked again. This is the traditional way it is made for sadyas, weddings or festivals.


To make the kuruku or evaporated curds
2 cups sour curds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp salt

Kuruku or evaporated curds

Cook this down to 1 cup on medium heat, keep stirring ocassionally. It will look like yellow cottage cheese. Store this in the fridge till you are ready to make the kalan. you could make more kuruku just increase the quantity of sour curds. I sometimes microwave the whole thing it take about 15 minutes. Keep cooking it at 5 minute increments till it reduces to half.

To make the kalan:
1/2 cup of the kuruku from the above recipe
1/4 cup white pumpkin
1/4 cup chena/yam
1/4 cup raw plantain
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp mehti powder
salt to taste

Grind to a paste
1 cup coconut
6 green chillies if using jalapenos use 1 or 2
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 cup water

Seasoning
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp mehti seeds
1 red chilli
4 curry leaves

Cut the vegetables into one inch cubes.
Cook with a cup of water and salt and turmeric.
Grind the ingredients for the paste.
Add to the cooked vegetables.
Add the kuruku or evaporated curd to this mixture.
Once it boils and thickens, add mehti powder.
Remove from heat and keep aside.
To season heat oil add mustard seeds, once they splutter add red chilli mehti seeds, and stir.
Add curry leaves, pour over kalan.
Serve as a side dish with rice and muringa ela kootan or any dal based curry.

Idli and Thenga Chamanthi

Idli and chamanthi reminds me of the lazy summer mornings in Kerala eating b'fast on small banana leaves. In those days I could devour ten of these and not worry about where it was going to show. Anyway today's b'fast was idli and thenga chamanthi(coconut chutney). I'm enjoying my spring break and cooking up a frenzy of long forgotten dishes. My idli recipe is simple, and I use just regular Sona masuri rice to make the idlis. I use the same batter to make dosas or uthappams the next day. It's usually idlis the first day, then dosas the next day, and if any batter is left uthappams. I soak the rice and dal on Friday morning and grind it in the evening in my Oster blender. Leave it in the oven to ferment overnight with the pilot light on, and the batter is ready on Saturday morning for idlis.

Idlis

3 cups sona masuri rice

1 cup udad dal

1/2 cup cooked rice

2 tsp salt

Wash and soak separately for atleast six hours. Grind udad dal with water till very smooth.

Grind rice with water and cooked rice till smooth.

Mix both batters well add salt and leave to ferment in the oven with the light on.

When the batter rises usually takes about 8 hours or more depending on where you live, pour into idli mould and steam idlis for 10 minutes after the steam starts coming.

Serve with chamanthi.

Chamanthi

1 cup fresh grated coconut

3 red chillies

1/4 tsp tamarind paste

salt to taste

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 red chilli

3 curry leaves

1 shallot(cheri ulli/ sambar onion) finely minced

Roast the red chillies till crisp.

Grind the coconut, red chillies, tamarind paste, and salt till smooth adding a little water.

Heat oil for seasoning, add mustard seeds, add red chillies, once they splutter add curry leaves and shallots.

Fry till the shallots are brown add the coconut mixture, let it warm through on medium heat.

Serve with idlis.

Easter Bunny is here!!!

Isn't this bunny cute, found him in my backyard, looking for food. We fed him carrots. By the end of the week he would come and eat the carrot out of our hands. Good timing I thought with Easter around the corner.

Bhindi Fry

This is one of my favorite dishes, from my childhood. It is such a simple dish and so easy to make. Another reason I like it is because it does not have a lot of masalas in it. Enjoy!!

1 cup chopped into slice tender bhindi/okra/lady's finger

1/2 medium onion chopped

3 green chilles minced

1 garlic clove minced

3 curry leaves

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

a pinch hing

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp pepper pwd

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, once they splutter add hing, turmeric, and pepper pwd.

Add onions, green chillies, garlic, and curry leaves.

Saute till translucent, add bhindi, stir well.

Cook till on low heat till tender, add salt, and remove from heat after another five minutes.

Serve with rotis or rice.

Puthcode Pulinkari

My husband is from Puthcode, and he always talks about this Pulinkari. I decided to try and make it, but he still seemed to think that it didn't taste the same. Oh well!!! I was just trying to please him.

1/4 cup Red Pumpkin
1/4 cup White Pumpkin
1/4 cup Raw Plantain
1/4 cup Suran/Chena/Yam
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
1 tsps tamarind paste
1 tsp jaggery
salt to taste

Grind to a fine powder:
Red Chillies 4

Rice 1 tbsp
Udad Dal 1 tsp
Mehti seeds 1/2 tsp


Seasoning:
Coconut Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Red Chilli 1
Curry Leaves 4

Roast each item till well browned and grind into a fine powder.
Cut vegetables into cubes about an inch in size and boil in 1 cup of water with salt and turmeric.
Add tamarind paste, hing and jaggery, boil for a few minutes.
Add the ground powder,and stir well, so no lumps are formed.
Add 2 cups water and let it cook till it looks like a nice gravy.
Remove from heat.
For the seasoning, heat oil add mustard seeds and the red chilli, once it splutters add the curry leaves.
Pour over pulinkari and serve with rice and olan.

Spicy Potato Podimas

Traditionally this dish is made with green chillies and ginger, but I like it with the red chilli powder especially served with rasam and rice. The chutney powder gives it an additional kick.

4 boiled and mashed potatoes
a pinch hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp chutney powder/mulgapodi (normally used to eat with dosas)
salt to taste

Seasoning:
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp udad dal
a few curry leaves

Heat oil add seasoning ingredients in the order given.
Add hing, turmeric powder, and chilli powder, immediately add the mashed potatoes and salt.
Stir well to combine. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat, add chutney powder, stir again and remove from heat after five minutes.
Serve with rice, roti or bread.

Eggless Almost Fatless Banana Nut Oatmeal Muffins

I think these are the best, I bake these muffins during the weekend and devour them during the week for breakfast, as I'm rushing out of the door. I sometimes add cranberries, raisins, and splenda to make it even healthier. You could also use whole wheat flour. The garam masala or allspice reminds me of the holidays and also adds a warm flavor during these cold months.

2 ripe bananas

1/4 cup applesauce

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp allspice/garam masala

2 tbsp canola oil

1/4 cup milk or soy milk

1/4 cups walnuts chopped

Topping

1/4 cup walnuts chopped

2 tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a six cup muffin pan with oil and dust with flour.

Mash the bananas well.

Mix the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and allspice.

Add the bananas, applesauce, oil and milk.

Stir add walnuts.

Pour into prepared pan.

Sprinkle chopped walnuts and sugar on top.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Curried Ginger Potato Latkes

5 potatoes, peeled and grated
1/4 cup onion grated

1 tsp ginger grated
1/4 cup cornflour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt to taste
olive oil

Combine grated potato with all the ingredients except the oil.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan.
Fry the potato latkes by dropping 1/4 cup measures of the mixture into the pan, and flattening them in the pan.


Fry on each side for about five minutes till cooked. Add more oil if needed.

This recipe is my contribution for Jihva for Ingredients - Ginger event.

Chicken 65

Boneless chicken breast 1 lb

Ginger paste 1 tbsp

Garlic paste 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp

Cornflour 1 tbsp

Yogurt whisked 1/4 cup

Green Chillies 2 slit lengthwise

Curry Leaves 5

Salt

Oil 2 tbsp



Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes. Mix ginger, garlic,red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala powder, salt, and cornflour. Add chicken to this mixture and marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge.

Heat oil add chicken and pan fry in batches till golden brown and tender, till all the chicken gets fried. Keep aside. In the same pan add green chillies and curry leaves, stir for a few minutes. Add the whisked yogurt, and the fried chicken. Keep stirring till all the liquid evaporates. Serve hot as an appetizer.

Aloo Methi

Fresh Fenugreek Leaves with Potatoes

Methi or fenugreek leaves are usually used when they are tender and green to make a dry dish called Aloo-Methi. The leaves of the fenugreek are bitter, but the potatoes and onions in this dish balance out the bitterness. I remember eating this as a child and even taking it to school for lunch with chapaties.

1 bunch methi leaves look in the Asian stores that's where I buy them
2 new potatoes cubed about 1 inch
1 small red onion chopped
3 green chillies minced
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds

Strip the leaves off the stems, and wash the leaves several times to get the grit off. Chop the leaves fine and keep aside. Nuke the potatoes in the microwave with 1 tbsp water for five minutes till cooked.
Heat oil add mustard seeds, once they splutter add the onions, green chillies, and garlic. Saute till golden add turmeric and the potatoes, stir. Add the chopped methi leaves and salt, stir well.
Once the leaves wilt, cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes till all the water gets evaporated and the greens cook. Mash the potatoes slightly till everything gets combined.
Serve with chapaties or rice. I have even eaten this with bread.

Paneer Bhurji Panini

A easy lunch idea for adults and kids, just add some carrot sticks or a side salad and a fruit, and lunch is all packed and ready to go. This recipe idea is my contribution to The Daily Tiffin. http://dailytiffin.blogspot.com/

I had leftover paneer bhurji from my New Year's Eve party, just enough for a sandwich/panini. Paneer is Indian cottage cheese, much more firmer in texture than the American version. It is a kind of pressed non-melting cheese similar to ricotta, atleast in the way it is made. This is the only cheese that is completely vegetarian. It is often used in savory and sweet dishes, and also eaten as a source of protein.

Anyway I used store-bought paneer for this dish but home-made paneer is much more better in texture.

2 tbsps paneer bhurji spread on one slice of bread I used multi-grain white sandwich bread, but sourdough might be better, cover with the other slice. Grilled on George Foreman Grill till golden and toasted. I had this for lunch, and I should say the sandwich was great even though I had made it this morning.

Paneer Bhurji

1 cup crumbled paneer

1/2 red onion chopped

1 green chilli minced

1 tsp ginger minced

1 tomato chopped

1 green pepper copped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper pwd

2 tbsps cilantro leaves

1 tbsp oil

Heat oil add cumin seeds, once they brown add onion, green chilli, and ginger. Saute till light golden add tomato and green pepper, stir for a few minutes. Add paneer, salt, pepper and cilantro leaves. Stir till well combined. Use as a filling or a side dish.

Moru Curry/Curd Curry

Moru curry, an easy throw it together kind of a curry when there are no vegetables in the house, and your mind draws a blank as to what to cook. Hopefully you would have yogurt and a few herbs somewhere in the fridge.

1 cup of yogurt preferably sour

1/4 cup fresh coconut ground with 1/4 tsp cuminseeds
1 shallot or 1/4 of a red onion minced finely

1 clove of garlic minced
1 tsp ginger minced
2 green chillies minced
a sprig of curry leaves
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients, these are staples in any Indian kitchen.
Blend the yogurt till smooth with a whisk, add the ground coconut mixture.

Heat oil add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and once the mustard seeds splutter, add the minced onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves.

Stir till golden a few minutes add cumin seed powder, fenugreek powder, turmeric, and pepper powder.

Stir and add the water.

Once it boils lower the heat, add the yogurt and coconut and mix till well blended.

Add salt, and let the whole thing warm up a bit and you will see litlle bubbles forming.

Take off heat and the Moru curry is ready to be eaten with rice.

Turkey Jhalfrazie

My leftover turkey/chicken from Christmas dinner is always made into a jhalfrazie. What is a jhalfrazie? It is a dry kind of stir-fry, if you will, usually made with leftover meats, which have been marinated and cooked, and fried with lots of green peppers and onions. In the British days, the cooks would reconstruct leftover meats into a new dish and that is how this term came into being. The authentic jhalfrazie or should I say the restaurant jhalfrazie is made out of leftover tandoori meats, but I don't follow any such rules. My dish has a American-Italian-Indian-Chinese flavor to it, that's why it's a stir-fry. American because of the poultry seasoning on the turkey, Italian because of the pesto, Indian because of the curry paste, Chinese because of the soy sauce and sesame oil, and so I rest my case.The turkey was made with the Cilantro Pesto, the pesto recipe was the one I submitted to Kalyn's Kitchens Holiday Herb Blogging event.

Leftover marinated and cooked Turkey or Chicken cut into cubes about 2 cups

1 clove garlic minced

1 tsp ginger minced

1 green chilli minced

2 tbsp onion minced

1 tsp Curry Paste(Okay still working on putting links to previous posts, haven't figured that one out, pls help)

1 green pepper cut into strips

1 onion cut into cubes

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Heat the oil, add the minced garlic, ginger, green chilli, and onion. Saute till golden add the green pepper strips and onion cubes stir on high heat, add turkey and curry paste, and keep stirring till well combined. Add soy sauce, stir. Serve hot with rice, rotis or use as a filling in a tortilla wrap.

Curry Paste

This curry paste is always in my fridge, I usually make it fresh about once a week, can be frozen too. It's a basic curry paste and you can embellish it to whatever your cooking. I use this paste as a fish or chicken marinade. To make a tandoori paste just add yogurt and garam masala to it. I also use it in Chinese or Thai cooking. When making a curry, I just saute some onions, and this paste and tomatoes, fry well, add coconut milk and veggies or chicken, and it's done.

Pretty versatile huh!!!

Whole head of garlic

2 inch fresh ginger

2 tbsp vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

Blend till smooth. Keep in plastic or glass containers, avoid metal containers as there is vinegar in it. IThe vinegar and salt act as preservatives.

Indian Masala Seasoning

Kalyn's Kitchen's herb blends inspired me to make my own seasoning blend with a Indian twist, I usually give Chai Tea Mix, and a Pulao Mix as Christmas gifts. I am a teacher too and have a lot of co-workers that I usually give gifts to, so this seasoning blend would be something different. I do have some staunch fans for my Chai Tea Mix, and they ask me every year for it. Anyway here goes my Indian Masala recipe. This seasoning can also be used for tandoori chicken/vegetables/fish, by mixing some yogurt and salt to the masala and marinating in it and then broiling it. Yummy !!!!

4 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp ginger powder
2 tbsps onion powder
2 tbsp chilli powder
3 tbsp cumin powder
4 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1 tsp turmeric

Mix everything until combined. This seasoning can be used on chicken, turkey, pork, fish, and any vegetables as a rub or a marinade. Can be used instead of curry powder too.

If you don't have garam masala just mix 1 tsp clove powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamon powder, a pinch nutmeg.

Thanks for the idea, Kalyn.

Weekend Herb Blogging

2006 Colorado Blizzard

My backyard

My frontyard

Just outside my back door

My patio table and grill

Indian Pan Potato Fries

My son is addicted to potatoes in any form, especially fries, hash browns, potato cutlets, mashed potatoes in that order. So I'm always thinking of ways to make these. But he likes these Indian French fries, better than the ones from the drive-thru. Which makes me feel better as I can control all the ingredients. Instead of pan frying like I did, you could bake it in the oven at 450 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

4 large Potatoes

2-4 tbsp Oil as needed

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

A pinch of Asafoetida

1/2 tsp Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Salt

French cut the potatoes, I use a French Fry Cutter, makes my life easy. Add 1 tbsp water and nuke in the microwave for 5 minutes. Drain. Heat oil in a large frying pan, add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Add potatoes once the cumin seeds get a little golden. Leave the pan on medium heat and keep stirring occasionally till the potatoes get a nice golden color and turn kind of crispy. Once done add salt and chilli powder, and stir for a few minutes and then serve.

Cilantro Pesto

An Indian take on pesto, and I like the kick the green chillies give. I started making this pesto as I would always have cilantro in the fridge, and after a week, I had to use it up or trash it. This freezes well too, I use the pesto for pastas, dips, spreads, marinades, and even in some curries.

I used this pesto for my Thanksgiving turkey breast, just put the pesto under the skin and some spice rub on the top and bake as usual.

Cilantro leaves about 2 cups I add the stems too

Almonds 2 tbsp

Garlic cloves 2

Ginger 1/2 inch

Green Chillies 2

Peppercorns 5

Salt 1/2 tsp

Olive Oil 1/3 cup

Blend cilantro, almonds, garlic, ginger, green chillies, peppercorns, and salt to taste. Drizzle olive oil while letting the blender run. If using for pasta add parmesan cheese while mixing in with the pasta.

Weekend Herb Blogging

Oven Chicken Fry

What with the Blizzard in Colorado, I was getting antsy sitting at home, and then I started thinking about food, and had visions of whipping up some exotic dish. Anyway I decided to make some regular chicken fry instead, but in the oven. This is such a regular dish in Mallu households, and invariably I had some chicken marinating in the freezer. It is normally a high calorie dish because it is fried in oil, but baking and broiling it cuts down on some of the calories. I'm trying to be careful with my diet, and cuting down on fats as much as I can.

3 Boneless chicken breasts cubed into 1 inch pieces
Ginger paste 1tbsp
Garlic paste 1tbsp
Red chilli powder 2tbsp
Fennel seeds powder 1 tsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Cornflour 2 tbsp
Vinegar 1tbsp
Salt to taste

Mix all the spices, cornflour, vinegar, and salt well. Then add to the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place aluminium foil on a cookie sheet spray lightly with oil, place chicken on the foil, and spray chicken lightly with oil. Bake till chicken is done, then turn the oven to Broil and broil for a few minutes so the top part of the chicken gets some color.
Serve hot.