Oats Puttu / Oats Steam Cake

INGREDIENTS:

• Oats - 2 cup 
• Grated Coconut - ½ cup
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as required to make the powder wet.

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Blend oats in a mixer to make it powder.
• In a heavy  bottomed pan add the  powder, stir continuously and roast lightly for 5 minutes.
• Allow the powder to cool.
• Sprinkle water in to flour little at a time and mix the flour. 
• Repeat sprinkling water till the flour is wet.
• Blend the flour mix in a blender for a minute so that the flour mix becomes soft.
• Place a pot shapped utensil  or a pressure cooker on the stove. 
• Fill half the utensil with water and boil the water.
• Place a puttu maker on the top of the utensil.
• Now its time to put the flour mixture into the puttu maker.
• Put a spoon full of  grated coconut first, then fill the flour mixture till the half of the maker.
• Again a spoonful of coconut on it then fill it up with the flour mix .
• Finally put a layer of  coconut on the top of it.
• Steam in a vessel for 5-6 minutes and serve hot.

Recommended Combination: Oats Puttu can be served hot with Kadala curry / Payar Curry  / Pappadam

Beetroot Halwa

A variety dessert prepared by using Beetroot.

INGREDIENTS:

• Grated Beetroot -2 cups
• Milk - 2 cup
• Sugar - ½ cup to 3/4 cup  (or as needed)
• Ghee - 3 tbsp
• Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp 
• Almond slices - few
• Pista slices - few

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat ghee in a Pan.
• Add the grated beetroot and saute on medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Add milk and cook till the milk gets completely absorbed.
• Add the sugar and stir well.
• Add the cardamom powder and cook in low heat till the ghee oozes out.
• Remove from fire and let it cool.
• Garnish with almond slices and pista slices and cut it in a desired shape.

Rava Idli

Rava, usually used to prepare Upma can also be used to prepare delicious idli.

INGREDIENTS:

• Roasted Rava - 1 cup
• Curd - 1 ½ cup
• Finely Chopped Ginger -  ½ tsp
• Grated Carrot - 2 tbsp
• Green Chillies - 2 nos
• Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
• Channa Daal - 1 tsp
• Urad Daal - 1 tsp
• Cashewnut - 10 nos
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves - A few
• Chopped corriander leaves -2 tbsp
• Sugar - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat ghee in the pan and fry cashewnut and take it aside.
• Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. 
• Add channa daal, urad daal and fry it.
• Add green chilies and chopped ginger and saute for a minute. 
• Add rava, mix well and roast for a minute.
• Remove from fire and add grated carrot, chopped corriander leaves, salt, sugar, curry leaves and curd and mix well.
• Now the Idli batter is ready.
• Grease the idli mould with oil.
• Put fried cashewnut in the center of each idli mould.
• Pour the batter in the mould .
• Steam the vessel for about 10 - 12 minutes.
• Turn off the stove and let it cool.
• Remove the idlis from the mould and serve.

Recommended Combination: Serve with Chutney or sambar.

Bread Bajji

Bread Bajji is a quick and easy tea time snack.

INGREDIENTS:

• Bread slices - 4 nos
• Finely Chopped Corriander Leaves - 2 tbsp 
• Gram flour(kadala mavu / Besan Flour) - 1 cup
• Chilly powder -½ tsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Asafoetida -  ¼ tsp
• Water -required to make batter
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cut the edges of bread slices and cut it diagonally.
• Mix Water,Salt,Chilli powder,Asefodia, Turmeric powder, Corriander leaves and Flour to make batter(dosa batter consistency).
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Dip each pieces into the batter and put into the hot oil.
• Fry till both the sides turn golden brown. 

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Tea or coffee

Bread Toast

Bread Toast is a simple and quick snack.

INGREDIENTS:

• Bread Slices - 2 
• Egg - 1 
• Milk - 4 tsp
• Butter - 1 tsp
• sugar - ¼ tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Beat egg and sugar very well.
• Add milk and beat again.
• Take each slice, cut the edges 
• Now cut them diagonally once.
• Heat a pan with some butter in it.
• Dip each piece in the mix and put it in the pan.
• Add little butter on the top of each piece.
• Cook it in medium heat .
• Remove when both sides turn to a golden brown colour.

Potato Bajji

 It is an easy to prepare Tea time snack. It is prepared by dipping the Potato in the batter and deep frying it.

INGREDIENTS:

• Potato -2 nos
• Gram Flour (besan)- ½ cup
• Maida - 1 tbsp
• Rice Flour -2 tbsp
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Asafoetida Powder - ¼ tsp
• Baking soda - pinch (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil - for frying
• Water- required to make batter

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix the rice flour, maida, red chilli powder, asafoetida powder, salt to gram flour and mix well.(you can add baking soda to the flour if needed)

• Add water to the flour mixture and make a smooth thick batter.
• Heat Oil in a pan. 
• Peel off the Potato skin and make thin slices of it.
• Dip each slice into the batter and put into the hot oil.
• Fry till both the sides turn golden brown. 

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Tea or Coffee.

Manga Thayiru / Mango with Curd

Manga Thyairu / Mango in Curd is a variety side dish served together with rice. An easy and simple recipe to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw Mango - ½ mango
• Finely chopped Onion - ½ cup
• Green Chilly(roundly cut) - 2 nos
• Corriander Powder - ½ tbsp
• Chilly Powder - 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek Powder - a pinch
• Curd - 1 cup
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Peel the Skin of the Mango and chop it nicely.
• Mix all the ingredients together with curd.

Recommended Combination: Manga Thayir can be served with Rice.

Manga Chammandi / Mango Chammandi

Manga Chammandi is a very popular side dish for several breakfast items and even as a side dish for rice.
It is very easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw Mango - ½ mango
• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Pearl Onion - 1 no
• Green Chilly - 2 nos
• Curry leaves - 2 -3 leaves
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Peel the Skin of the mango and cut it into small pieces.
• Grind all the other ingredients with mango without using water.

Recommended Combination: Manga Chammandi can be served with Rice.

Vattayappam / Rice Cake

Vattayappam or Rice Cake is a main item in Kerala.
Rice - Coconut batter cooked in steam to prepare this item.

INGREDIENTS:

• Raw rice flour -1 cups
• Grated Coconut - 1 ½ cup
• Cumin Seed - pinch
• Cream of Rice (thari)/Rava- 1 tbsp
• Ghee- ½ tsp
• Yeast -½ tsp
• Sugar- 5 tbsp
• Salt - ¼ tsp 
• Water

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Lightly roast rice flour about 3 minutes.
• Mix yeast with sugar in 5 Tbsp warm water and keep aside.
• Grind Coconut and cumin seed to a fine paste.
• Cook the cream of rice in little water by stirring continuously.
• Mix rice flour, cooked cream of rice and yeast and knead into a soft dough. 
• Add the coconut paste mix to the dough with little water and mix well. 
• Add Salt and mix well to make a thick batter.
• Grease ghee in a pan (steel plate) and pour the batter into it.
• Steam it well in an idli steamer for 15 minutes.
• Remove it from the steamer. 
• Let it cool for sometime and remove from the pan.

Recommended Combination: Vattayappam / Rice Cake can be served hot with Chicken Curry / Chicken Stew / vegetable Kurma / Chicken Kurma / Kadala Curry

Gothambu Puttu / Wheat Puttu

Gothambu Puttu / Wheat Steam Cake is a different variety of Puttu.
Use Roasted Wheat flour instead of Rice Flour which is used to prepare regular Rice puttu.

INGREDIENTS:

• Roasted wheat flour -1 cup 
• Grated Coconut -¼ cup
• Salt - to taste
• Water- as required to make the powder wet .
• Puttu kudam (puttu maker)

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Add salt to the roasted flour gently to make a mixture.
• Sprinkle water in to flour little at a time and mix the flour. 
• Repeat sprinkling water till the flour is wet.
• Place a pot shapped utensil on the stove. 
• Fill half the utensil with water and boil the water.
• Place a puttu maker on the top of the utensil .
• Put some grated coconut in it, and fill puttu maker with the mixture and put some grated coconut on the top .
• Steam in a vessel for 10 minutes and serve hot

Recommended Combination: Gothambu Puttu can be served hot with Kadala curry / Payar Curry / Pazham / Pappadam

Asparagus Thoran

Asparagus has no cholestrol and is low in calories and sodium, a healthy source of vitamins and dietary fiber. Young shoots of Green Asparagus can be used to prepare delicious thoran as shown in this receipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chopped Asparagus - 1cups
• Grated coconut - ¼ Cup
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Red Chilly -2 nos
• Garlic - 1 nos
• Cumin Seed -¼ tsp
• Urad Daal - 1tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Curry Leaves -few

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Asparagus with turmeric powder and salt in little water.
• Crush Coconut ,Chilly powder,Garlic and Cumin seed and add to cooked Asparagus and mix it well.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and red chilli and let it splutter.
• Add urad daal and fry it.
• Once Urad becomes brown, add Cooked Asparagus and Curry leaves.
• Stir well and slow down the flame and cook it for 2 mins.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice

Soya Curry

This recepie shows how to use Soya Chunks to make a delicious Curry.

INGREDIENTS:

• Soya Chunks- 1 cup
• Diced Potato- ½ cup
• Diced Capsicum- ¼ cup
• Green peas(frozen) - ¼ cup
• Chopped Beans - ¼ cup
• Diced Carrot -¼ cup
• Chopped onion -½ cup
• Slit Greenchilly- 6 nos 
• Ginger Paste- 1 tsp
• Chilly Powder - ½ tsp
• Corriander Powder-1½ tsp
• Turmeric powder -¼ tsp
• Aniseed powder - 1 tsp
• Pepper powder -¼ tsp
• Cinnamon -2 inch stick
• Bayleaf -1
• Cloves- 2 nos
• Cardamom - 1 nos
• Thick Coconut milk - 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil -1 tbs 
• Curry leaves-few

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Soak soya chunks or in hot water for 15 minutes.
• Drain the chunks and put them in cold water.
• Squeeze the chunks out of water and keep aside.
• Cut each balls into 2 pieces
• Heat Oil in a pan and fry Cinnamon Stick, Cardamom, Bayleaf and cloves . 
• Add Onion, Ginger Paste and Green Chilly until Onion becomes golden brown. 
• Add Soya Chunks, Capsicum, carrot, peas, Beans, Potato and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and saute till the raw smell goes.
• Add salt and water,cover the pan and let it cook. 
• When the Vegetables are cooked add Aniseed Powder and Pepper Powder and let it boil for 2 minutes.
• Then add coconut milk and allow to boil. 
• When it starts boil,put curry leaves and remove from fire

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chappathi / Appam / Rice

Carrot Mutta Thoran / Carrot Egg Thoran

Another form of thoran using carrot and Egg mixed with grated coconut.

INGREDIENTS:

• Eggs - 3 nos
• Finely Chopped Onion - 1 nos
• Finely chopped Carrot-2 nos
• Green Chilly(Chopped) - 3 nos 
• Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Beat the eggs and keep aside. 
• Cook the carrot along with turmeric powder and salt in little water.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add the chopped onion,green chilly and saute well till the Onion turns transparent..
• Add cooked carrot and saute for 2 - 3 minutes.
• Add the grated coconut and mix well.
• Add the beaten egg and scrambled it well.
• Stir continuously till the egg is well cooked and dried up.
• Add curry leaves and mix it.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice

Capsicum Mutta Thoran / Capsicum Egg Thoran

Capsicum and Egg can be used to prepare delicious thoran.

INGREDIENTS:

• Eggs - 3 nos
• Finely Chopped Onion - 1 nos
• Finely chopped Capsicum -1 nos
• Green Chilly(Chopped) - 3 nos
• Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Red Chilly-2 nos
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Beat the eggs and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds and Red chilly and allow to splutter.
• Add the chopped onion,green chilly and saute well till the Onion turns transparent..
• Add chopped Capsicum, turmeric powder, salt and allow to cook.
• Add grated coconut and mix well.
• Add the beaten egg and scrambled it well.
• Stir continuously till the egg is well cooked and dried up.
• Add curry leaves and mix it.

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice / Chappathi

Ishtu

This is a simple delicious dish, popular in a traditional Kerala Sadya, which can be served on its own with Appam or Chappathi.

INGREDIENTS:

• Diced Onion -1 nos
• Diced Potato - 2 nos
• Green Chilly(Slit) - 6 nos
• Ginger(chopped) -1 tbsp
• Thick Coconut milk - ½ cup
• Coconut Oil - 1tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Onion, Potato, Chilly and Ginger along with salt and water.
• When the vegetables cooks well, add Coconut milk and let it boil.
• When it starts boil,turn off the stove and add Curry leaves and coconut Oil

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Rice/ Appam/ Chappathi

Mutta Dosa / Egg Dosa

A variety non vegetarian dosa using Egg and rice batter.

INGREDIENTS:

• Dosa batter - 1 cup
• Pearl Onion(finely chopped) - 6 nos
• Green Chilly(finely chopped) -3 nos
• Eggs - 4 nos
• Pepper powder -pinch
• Chopped Curry leaves - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Squeeze chopped Pearl Onion, Green Chily, Curry leaves and Salt with hand.
• Add egg into it and beat well.
• Add Pepper powder and mix well
• Heat a Frying Pan.
• Pour one spoon full of batter on the pan as thin as possible.
• When dosa is half cook pour the Egg Mixture on to dosa. 
• Pour some oil on it.
• When egg is cooked, turn the other side .

Recommended Combination: Serve hot

Spicy Tomato Dosa

Spicy tomato dosa

INGREDIENTS:

• Dosa batter - 2 cup
• Tomato (chopped)- 2 nos
• Onion (chopped) - 1 small
• Chopped Garlic - 1 tbsp 
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida powder- ¼ tsp
• oil - 2 tbsps
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat oil in a Pan. 
• Add onions and garlic and saute`till the onion turns transparent.
• Add chopped tomatoes and saute well along with salt.
• Add Chilly powder and saute for a minute.
• Grind them into a paste.
• Add asafoetida, turmeric powder and mix well.
• Add tomato mix to the Dosa batter and mix well.
• Heat a Frying Pan.
• Pour one spoon full of batter on the pan as thin as possible.
• Pour some oil on it.
• When one side is golden brown and turn the other side . 

Recommended Combination: Serve hot with Chutney

Kadalapradhaman

Kadala payasam is prepared using kadala parippu, otherwise known as Channa daal with jaggery in coconut milk. Its a main item in sadya, especially in Kerala.

INGREDIENTS:

• Channa daal(kadala parippu) -1 cup
• Gaggery -2 cup
• Ghee - 4 tbsp
• Cashew nut - 10 nos
• Coconut cuts - 2 tbsp
• Thin coconut milk - 2 cup
• Thick coconut Milk - 1 cup
• Sesame - 1 tsp
• Cumin seed - 1 tsp
• Dry Ginger powder(chukku podi)- ¼ tsp
• Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp
• Raisin -2 tbsp
• water - ½ cup

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Cook Daal in a pressure cooker.
• Mash the Cooked daal.
• Put 2 tbsp ghee in a pan.
• Add mashed daal in it and saute for 3 minutes.
• Mix Jaggery in water till dilute it.
• Filter jaggery and add the jaggery to daal and saute it. 
• Once the daal cooks in jaggery and bubbles appear add  thin coconut milk and let it boil.
• Add thick coconut milk and dry ginger powder, cardamom powder and stir well.
• Turn off the stove.
• Heat the remaing ghee in a pan.
• Fry coconut cut in brown colour.
• Fry cashew nut, raisin, cumin seed, sesame.
• Add this seasoning to the payasam

Recommended Combination: Serve with Pazham and Pappadam.

Simple Vanilla cake

This is an easy to prepare simple vanilla cake without any topping.
Baking a cake at home can be as easy as follows.

INGREDIENTS:

• All purpose flour -1 ¼ cup
• Butter - 1 stick
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Salt -¼ tsp
• Milk -½ cup
• Egg -2 nos
• Vanilla essence- ½ tsp
• Baking powder - 1 tsp

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Mix sugar and butter in a bowl. 
• Add egg one at a time and beat well.
• Put the baking powder and Salt to the flour and mix well.
• Add the flour and milk in an alternate way.
• Then add vanilla essence to the mixture and beat well. 
• Preheat oven to 350 deg F. 
• Grease the pan with butter.
• Pour the batter into the pan.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the oven.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let it cool for 15 minutes and remove from pan.

Recommended Combination: with Tea or Coffee

Chakka Upperi

The Chakka Upperi is deep fried chakka chula in Coconut oil.These chips are crispy and tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

• Jackfruit(cut into long pieces)
• Oil for frying
• Salt water

PREPARATION METHOD:

• Heat oil in a pan.
• When it boils, Put the sliced Jackfruit slowly into the oil.
• Stir until fully cooked and crisp.
• Sprinkle salt water on the Chips .
• Cool and store in an airtight container.