Vazhakka(i) Thoran

Ingredients:
Raw plantains - 3 (small-sized)
Coconut - 1/4 cup (grated)
Shallots - 5
Garlic - 3 big cloves
Green chillies - 2
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 3 pinches
Mustard - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - a few
Oil
Salt

Method:
Peel off the skin and dice the plantains. Cook them in water with 2 pinches of turmeric powder and a little salt.
Strain the plantains and keep aside.
Crush or blend the shallots, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves coarsely.
Heat a little oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add crushed onions, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves, little salt and a pinch of turmeric powder and saute till shallots turn golden colour.
Now add the grated coconut and pepper powder and saute for 3 to 4 minutes in low flame.
Finally add the cooked plantains and saute gently till dry.
Enjoy as a side dish.

Recipe source: Kaipunyam

Sent off to "Veggie/Fruit A Month-Plantain" and "The Kerala Kitchen" (click here for more details) events.

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Coriander & Moong Dal Thuvaiyal

Ingredients:
Coriander leaves (with stalks) - 3 cups
Moong dal (yellow) - 1/4 cup
Dry red chillies - 2 (or as per taste)
Garlic - 1 big clove
Tamarind - a small piece
Salt (as per taste)
Oil

To temper:
Mustard seeds + Cumin seeds + Urad dal - 1/2 tsp.
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil

Method:
Dry roast the moong dal till brown colour without burning in low flame.
Remove and keep aside.
In the same pan, add and heat a little oil and fry red chillies, garlic and tamarind.
Grind moong dal, red chillies, tamarind, garlic, coriander leaves and salt into a thick paste by adding a little water.
Temper with the given ingredients and pour the mixture on the thuvaiyal. Mix well and enjoy as a side dish.

Sent off to "CWS-Moong Beans" event.

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Methi Pulao

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Fenugreek leaves - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.
Onions - 2 (sliced)
Garlic - 1.5 tsp. (grated)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Potato (big) - 1
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Salt (to taste)
Cinnamom stick -1
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 4
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil

Method:
Peel and dice the potatoes. Drop the diced potatoes in water. Keep aside.
Wash the basmati rice and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed vessel.
Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds and allow them to sizzle.
Add the sliced onions and saute till translucent. Saute the ginger and garlic till raw smell fades away.
Then include the fenugreek leaves, diced potatoes (discard water) & coriander leaves and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Now add the tomatoes, salt and saute till they are half-mushy.
Add red chilli & turmeric powders and mix well in low flame for 2 minutes.
Add the rice and saute.
Pour the coconut milk and 3 cups of water. Mix. Cook in medium flame.
When the water begins to boil, cover the vessel with a lid.
When the water gets absorbed, remove the lid & cover the vessel with aluminium foil.
Again place the lid on the aluminium foil.
Let the rice cook completely in low flame. Remove from heat.
Serve warm with any raita.

Sent off to "Back to Roots" event.

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Ashoka/Asoka Halwa

Quite famous in Thanjavur/Tanjore, which is frequently served in weddings and other special occasions.

Ingredients:
Moong dal - 100 gm
Wheat flour - 100 gm
Maida/APF - 50 gm
Sugar - 400 gm or as per taste
Warm milk - 2 tbsp.
Saffron strands - a pinch
Saffron food colour - 1 tsp.
Roasted cashewnuts - 20
Roasted raisins - 15
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp.
Ghee - 1 cup + 3 tbsp.

Preparation:

Dry roast the dal in a kadai till it releases a nice aroma. Let it cool. Wash the dal and soak for 20 minutes. Boil the dal in an adequate amount of water till they become mushy.

While the dal is getting cooked, add saffron strands and saffron colour to the warm milk. Mix them & keep aside.

 Meanwhile, mash the dal immediately when they are mushy enough. Dissolve the sugar with the dal.

Mix the coloured milk with the dal and sugar mixture. Keep aside.

Heat 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp. of ghee and add the wheat flour and maida. Mix them with ghee without any lumps. Stir continuously without burning till the mixture is turned into golden color in low flame.

Once the colour changes into golden, add the moong dal mixture and begin stirring. When the halwa becomes thick, mix the roasted nuts, raisins & cardamom powder.

Now start adding the remaining 1/2 cup of ghee little by little with continuous stirring. When the halwa leaves the sides of the pan and releases ghee, pour it in the ghee greased vessel and spread them evenly. Serve warm.

Note:

After cooking the dal, discard the excess amount of water (if any).

Halwa can be kept at room temperature for 8 hours after cooling. Refrigerate them after 8 hours.

Adapted from a recipe book

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Fish Fry

 

Ingredients:
Fish - 4 big pieces
Garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Ginger paste - 1 tsp.
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tbsp.
Roasted and powdered cumin - 1 tsp.
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chinese 5 spice powder - 1/2 tsp.
Lime juice - 1 tsp.
Salt (as per taste)
Oil (to shallow fry)

Method:
Make a thick paste with all the ingredients (except the fish and oil).
Make 2 to 3 slashes with a knife on both sides of the fish. (I have used karimeen/pearl spot fish without the outer skin).
Apply the paste on both sides. Marinate for half an hour. If marinated more than half an hour, refrigerate them.
Take a tawa and pour a little oil. When the oil is hot enough, place the fish pieces and fry (cook) on both sides.
Enjoy as a side dish or as the only dinner.

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Rava Ladoo

Ingredients:
Rava/Sooji - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Warm ghee (as required)
Cashewnuts - 10
Raisins - 12
Cardamom powder - 2 pinches
Warm milk (to sprinkle)

Method:
Dry roast the rava in low-flame till a nice aroma wafts without burning. Let it cool and powder it.
Then powder the sugar.
Fry the cashews and raisins till they're changed to golden colour.
In a hollow plate, add the powdered rava, sugar, cashews, raisins and cardamon powder and mix.
Now add ghee little by little and continue mixing. Make balls of equal size out of this mixture.
If the mixture becomes dry while making balls, sprinkle some warm milk and continue making them.
Enjoy or store them in airtight container.

Note:
If you add too much milk instead of ghee, consume the ladoos within 2 to 3 days.

Tip:
Dry roast 3 tbsp. of cardamom for 4 to 5 minutes. Let it cool. Then powder them with a little sugar. Store the powder for future use. This can be done during festive seasons. Store it in a small container. Use within 3 weeks.

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