Beetroot Thoran and the Forth Award

Ingredients:
1. Beetroot-1,finely cubed.
2. Green chilies-2
3. Shallots/ onion,finely chopped- 2 tbsp
4. Shredded CoconutCoconut-1/4 cup
5. Curry leaves- 3-4 chopped
6. Mustard-1/2 tsp
7. Oil-1 tbsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
10. Urud dal/Black gram- 1/4 tsp

Preparation Method:
1. Heat the oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds.
2. Add the urud dal and let it brown, do not burn it,reduce the flame.
3. Add chopped chillies and curry leaves.
4. Add chopped onion and saute for a minute.
5. Add the chopped beetroots and salt to taste, mix well. Cover and cook in low flame for 3 minutes. Do not add any water.
6. Mix the turmeric powder with shredded coconut and add this into the beetroot. Mix well and cover and cook till the onion is very soft and beetroots are fully cooked.
7. Serve warm with boiled/steamed rice.

Here comes the forth award, Thanks to Ambreen of Simply Sweet N Savory:

Pazhampori/Ethakkappam/ Batter fried Banana

An authentic Kerala snack, common at every keralite's home.

Ingredients:
1. Ripe Plantain- 1
2. All Purpose Flour/ Maida- 1/2 cup
3. Rice Flour Or Cornflour- 2 tbsp
4. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
5. Salt- 1/4 tsp
6. Sugar- 3 tsp
7. Oil, to deep fry


Preparation Method:
1. Cut the plantain into equal sized thin long pieces.
2. Mix all the ingredients from 2-6 with 14 cup of water to a medium thick paste to dip and fry.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Dip each plantain pieces into the prepared batter and slide them into the piping hot oil.
5. We can fry 3-4 at a time in a medium sized pan, frying more than this at a time will make the banan fry very oily.
6. Fry both the sides into golden yellow and strain them and keep them on paper towel.
7. Serve with hot tea.

Quail Eggs/Kaada Mutta

Nutritional Benefits:
Quail eggs are very small black spotted eggs on a light brown outer surface. They are the eggs of the bird quail. These eggs are considered as a dietary and healing food. They are widely used in world-wide countries like America, Western Europe,Japan,China,Colombia, Venezuela, Philippines and India especially Kerala.Studies say that their nutritional value is 3-4 times more than the chicken eggs .They are rich in Proteins,Vitamin A,B1,B2, phosphorous and calcium. They provide us with 5-6 times iron and potassium than normal chicken eggs.

Health Benefits:
1. They help strengthen heart muscle.
2. They are widely used in beauty masks to cleanse the skin and good for hair growth,which result in strong and voluminous hair.
3. It helps in retaining the brain and nervous system strong which leads to good memory power and the nutritions fight against infections. So very good for kids who can intake almost 3-4 quail eggs a day.
4. They help eliminate the stone formation in kidney and bladder.
5. They help reduce the chance of cancer.
6. They help increase the amount of haemoglobin and good for ulcer,tuberculosis and gastritis.
7. Studies say that quail have a reduced cholesterol and saturated fat content when compared to chicken eggs. So, Grown-ups can consume 4-5 quail eggs a day and the positive results will be visible with in months.

Some say that 1 quail-bird's meat is nutritionally equal to a 100 chicken. Quail meat is also healthier.

How To Eat:
I usually make boiled quail eggs/ Kaadamutta puzhungiyath by boiling them in water for 10 minutes. The shell can be opened after this and eaten as such or cut into thin equal round slices and sprinkled with some salt and fresh pepper and then served. We buy them from the chinese market here where Quail meat and eggs, Duck eggs etc: are widely available. During my child-hood I used to eat them a lot by boiling them. It was a fun-eating 10 at a time breaking each very fast and just gulping them into the mouth. We used to get them from Kuttanad(5-6 kms from Alleppey) as Alleppey is my home-town.

Or any Omelets can be made with this but we might require some 6-8 eggs to replace a normal chicken egg in quantity. I prepare bulls eye with these eggs by cracking 4-5 eggs on a griddle touching each other, cooked on for 3-4 minutes and then served by sprinkling salt and pepper on top.

These eggs can also be used to prepare cute egg curry by replacing the normal eggs. People make different types of curries and thoran along with some veggies like mushroom or some other things and served with rice. So on the whole, this can be used in any dish and can be used in all the preparation to replace the chicken eggs where ever the normal chicken eggs are used for your and your family's nutritional-health benefits.

Typical Authentic Kerala breakfast 'Puttu'- Chemba Puttu and The Third Award

This is an authentic Kerala breakfast made at every Keralite home atleast once in every week. A very simple and easily made breakfast which can be served with kadala curry, banana or stews.
Though its very easy and simple, care must be taken whiling mixing the flour with water, during my initial days in the kitchen I have struglled atleast 3-4 times to get the right consistency. If the water is more, it turns to a mass of steamed flour which is not soft enough and sticky to be edible. On the other hand when the water is not enough the steam never escapes form the puttu-maker and it never gets cooked leaving them back into the same state of raw flour. So when the water comes to right consistency you get steaming flavorful puttu which takes the shape of the puttu kutti/a thick pipe-like shape.

Usually Puttu is made with normal/roasted rice-flour in the same procedure,I have used the red/brown-rice/Chemba rice flour which is more healthier due to the fibre-content in the rice. It is available with Double horse and nirapara brand. The nirapara puttu flour comes with lots of nutritious ingredients in them which are visible like small fibres in the podi. Both are good enough for making nice soft and delicious puttu. This puttu will be a little dark since the podi is of brown rice rice and a little firm so care must be taken while mixing the flour.

Ingredients:
1. Double Hourse/Nirpara Chemba Puttu Podi- 1 1/2 cup
2. Water to moisten the flour- 1/2- 3/4 cup
3. Freshly grated coconut- 1/2 cup
4. Salt to taste- 1/2-3/4 tsp


Preparation Method:
1. In a large bowl,take the Chemba Puttu Podi and mix well with the salt.

2. Sprinkle water and mix it.
3. Keep on sprinkling water and continue mixing, till the whole flour is wet enough. You can confirm this by making lumps when you clasp but can be easily crumbled.Not like chapathi dough to stick firm.
4. After the mixture has enough moisture, crumble all the lumps if formed during the mixing, this helps make the puttu very soft. This can be easily done by running it in a mixer for a few seconds.

5. Fill the Puttukudam with water, not more than half its capacity.
This has an alternative of using just the puttukutti on a cooker. The cooker acts like a puttukudam from which the steam comes out through the whistle and is passed into the puttukudam to get the puttu cooked.

6. Keep the perforated shown in the picture first and then put some(2 tbsp) grated coconut in the Puttukutty and then add the Podi/mixed flour(two times one handfull), now add another layer of grated coconut and continue the cycle till the puttukutti is full. Any kind of filling can be kept like meat called irachi puutu or cardamom-coconut-jaggery mix to make sweet puttu. The more you keep the coconut filling, it helps make the puttu softer.
7. Close the lid and place the Puttukutti on the Puttukuddam while steam starts coming from the puttukudam.
8. Cook the Puttu for about 10-12 minutes. Within 3-4 minutes, the steam starts escaping from the three holes on top of the puttu-kutti,this is the only way to make sure that the puttu is cooking and we have done the mix with water well to convert it into perfectly-cooked end product. It is ready to be served with Kadal Curry or Egg-Curry or Stew and pappadam or even with ripe-sweet banana/cardomom and sugar.

Chiratta Puttu
9. This can also be made using the chiratta puttu maker. You have to put the perforated plate and put the grated coconut then fill the puttu maker full of puttu flour and cook on the cooker-top to 5-6 minutes.

10. Serve by tilting the puttu maker with the shredded coconut coming on top.

And finally the award. Thanks to Deepa Praveen for you lovely blog award.

Beetroot Mezhukkuperatti

Ingredients
1. Beetroot, cut into very small cubes- 1/2 a cup
2. Onion, finely chopped- 1/4 cup
3. Oil- 1 tsp
4. Mustard seeds,to splutter
5. Curry leaves- 2-3 chopped
6. Green-chillies, chopped-1
7. Salt,to taste

Preparation Method:
1. In a pan, add oil and splutter mustard seeds.
2. Add curry leaves,green-chillies, onion and beet-root chops.
3. Sprinkle enough salt on them and mix well.
4. Close and cook stirring in regular intervals.
5. Serve warm with boiled/steamed rice.

Garden Fresh Salad

Its always good to have some salad everyday to keep the diet balanced. The fresh vegetables eaten raw is the best for health and highly nutritious. Salads are combination of many fresh vegetables, any vegetables which you love to eat raw can be used in the recipe.

Ingredients:
1. Cucumber, peeled and cut into very small cubes- 1/2 cup
2. Onion,finely chopped- 1/2 cup
3. Tomato, finely cubed- 1/4 cup
4. Salt- 1 tsp
5. Fresh Coconut Oil- 1/2 tsp
6. Freshly ground pepper- 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method:
1. Mix all the freshly chopped vegetables together.
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper and toss.
3. Add the fresh coconut oil and mix well.
4. Serve along with roti and curry or rice or can be munched in the evening.

Cholesterol watchers can avoid adding oil.

Okra/Bhindi Strir Fry/Vendakka Mezhukkuperatti

Ingredients:
1. Okra/Vendakka- 10-12
2. Oil- 2 tsp
3. Mustard seeds, to splutter
4. Chilly Powder- 1 tsp
5. Salt, to taste

Preparation Method:
1. In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds and add chilly powder.
2. Add Okra and enough salt. Do not add any trace of water into it. If the okra is wet while cutting after washing them, dry them out with a paper towel and then cut them into equal round.
3. Close and cook for 2-3 minutes and then fry them opening the pan.
4. Stir in regular intervals.
5. Fry into semi-crisp soft okras and serve as a side dish with steamed/boiled rice.

Chinese dumplings/Jiaozi/Pot-stickers

This another blooger's recipe that I tried and came out successful. Thanks to Vidhya of Sugar and Spices. Thank you Vidhya, your snaps tempted me to make them soon and it came out really well, I have made small changes and tried out.

This is one of my favorite among chinese starters from my bangalore-life. I loved eating them many while going for the buffet lunch during the project parties in Silver Metro Bangalore at the Total mall. They will be kept next to soup in a casserole-like wooden round dish(I dont know its exact name) and the dumplings will be piping hot inside and the smell is really tempting. After coming here I have felt many times to try them out at home after having them many times from the buffet here also, but somehow the thought did not become practical for a long time. But last day, while I was going through my friend's blogs,I got stuck at Vidhya's blog seeing this and tempted me to cook them. Thank you Vidhya for boosting me up showing the drooling snaps of dumplings.

Jiaozi typically consist of ground meat/vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough which is then sealed by pressing the edges together. Jiaozi should not be confused with wonton: Jiaozi have a thicker, chewier skin and a flatter shape (similar in shape to ravioli), and are eaten with dipping sauce. Wontons are usually fried and served sometimes mixed with soup. There are steamed dumplings also in the chinese menu. this is a different version which is toasted and boiled and again toasted dumpling recipe.

Jiaozi are eaten all year round and can be eaten at any time of the day –breakfast,lunch or dinner. They can constitute one course, starter or side dish, Jiaozi are one of the major foods eaten during the Chinese New Year.

Ingredients:
1. Cabbage,shredded finely- 1/2 cup
2. Carrot,shredded- 1/2 cup
3. Mushrooms,finely chopped- 1/2 cup
4. Ginger-Garlic Paste- 1/4 tsp
5. Soy-sauce-1/2 tsp
6. Red-chili Paste-1/2 tsp
7. Sunflower/Vegetable Oil- 1 tsp
8. Salt and Pepper- 1/2 tsp
9. Spring roll/Wonton Pastry sheets- 8


Preparation Method:
1. In a wok, add oil and toss in ginger-garlic paste.
2. Add cabbage, carrot and mushroom shred.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes till mushroom gets cooked and cabbage becomes soft.
4. Add soy-sauce and saute well.
5. On the side of the pan, add 1/4 tsp oil and add chili-paste, saute for few seconds till the raw taste goes and finally mix them well with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Switch off te flame and keep aside.
7. Take out the pastry sheets one-by-one. If you are using wonton wraps which is round in shape and not square, just brush the round edge with water and keep the filling at the center and fold it and seal the edges together.
8. If spring-roll pastry sheets are used which is big squares, cut into two-equal round sheets using a small-round tin-cap. Keep the filling inside and fold and seal the edges.
9. In a wide pan, pour 1/2 tsp oil and spread all over, keep the dumplings(without overlapping each other) in the pan and toast both the sides for half a minute keeping the pan open.
10. Keep aside the toasted dumplings. In the same pan add half a cup of water and boil.
11. Once it boils, add the dumplings(without any dumpling overlapping each other) into it and cook each side for 2-3 minutes keeping the pan open, till all the water dries out. The dumplings must not immerse fully into the water, water level must be just to keep them and just its half.
12. Toast for half a minute again on both the sides after the water dries out to make them a bit crunchy.
13. Serve hot with any sauce as a snack or a starter for your dinner-party or lunch.

Soya-chunk with mashed Tapioca Samosa

This is made from the left-over ingredients that I had in my refrigerator. A wise method of using the leftover ingredients that you have.I had some soya-chunk masala that I had prepared yesterday and the cooked tapioca/Kappa Puzhungiyath. I thought of mixing them both together to make a filling. A cutlet or samosa can be made out of this filling.

Ingredients:
The ingredients required is the soya chunk masala and cooked kappa/tapioca and the samosa pastry. Samosa can be made by following the procedure i Had already posted for vegetable samosa. So this is a mixture of three posts in my blog.

Preparation Method:
1. Mash the tapioca(2 cups) well and mix with the soya-chunk masala(1 1/2 cups). Adjust salt if required.
2. Keep the filling inside the samosa pastry and deep fry them in oil.
3. Serve hot with sauce or mint and tamarind chutney. Enjoy.

Vendakka kondattum/Batter-Fried Okra

Ingredients:
1. Okra/Bhindi/Vendakka-4-5
2. Rice Powder- 2 tbsp
3. Salt, to taste
4. Chilly Powder- 3/4 tsp
5. Heeng/Asafetida- 1/4 tsp
6. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Preparation Method:
1. In a bowl mix together all the powders.

2. Cut the okra into small egual rounds. Add the okra and give a mix.
3. Sprinkle some water, may be 2-3 tsps and mix well to coat the okra with the powders.

4. Just a partial or full coating on the okra is enough, that should not be made to a watery batter like we fry the bajjis.Keep aside for 5 minutes.

5. Deep fry them in piping hot oil to crisp-golden fried okras. Served as a side dish with rice the same way we serve pappadams or frioms.

Cilantro Roti/Malliyela Chapathi

This is a trick to incorporate leafy vegetables in a roti to make the ones who does not like the greens to eat. You will never specifically taste the leaves, but the dish becomes highly nutritious due to the addition of the leaves the same way as the cilantro dosa. This can be done using many leafy vegetables.

Ingredients:
1. Atta/Wheat flour- 2 cups
2. Oil- 2 tsp
3. Cilantro/Coriandre leaves-1 cup,very finely chopped
4. Salt- 1 tsp
5. Water, to knead the flour.

Preparation Method:
1. In a wide bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix well.
2. Now add the cleaned washed leaves chopped finely into this and mix well.
3. By adding enough water,knead the dough well into a chapathi dough.
4. Finally coat them with 2 tsps of oil and knead lightly.
5. Make medium sized balls and roll them into flat circles.

6. On a griddle/thava, sprinkle some oil and toast the rotis till done.

7. Serve warm with any vegetarian/Non-veg gravies.

Crushed Tomato/Thakkali Njeradiyath

This is a very easy recipe prepared by my mom. My husband also loves it very much when I made and served it to him. This can be served as a side dish like chutney, a little tangy,hot and an extra kick of asafetida. The procedure does not include any cooking on the stove top, Just a crush is required with all the ingredients.This goes well with kanji or rice.

Know what you eat before you eat:
Do you know that Tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable; but mostly considered as a vegetable for most culinary purposes.

photo from google

Their consumption is believed to benefit the heart among other organs.
They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. In some studies lycopene, especially in cooked tomatoes, has been found to help prevent prostate cancer,improves the skin's ability to protect against harmful UV rays. Most Tomato varieties have double the normal vitamin C (Doublerich), 40 times normal vitamin A (97L97), high levels of anthocyanin (resulting in blue tomatoes), and two to four times the normal amount of lycopene.
Tomato consumption has been associated with decreased risk of breast cancer, head and neck cancers and might be strongly protective against neurodegenerative diseases.


Ingredients:
1. Tomato- 1/4 cup, finely chopped
2. Green chillies- 1, finely chopped
3. Asafetida/Heeng- 1/4 tsp
4. Salt, to taste.

Preparation Method:
1. In a bowl add all the ingredients together.
2. Press and crush well with your hands,all the tomato pieces together and ooze out the juice in them as well as infuse the flavors into the tomato chops.

Variations can be done adding a drop of coconut oil and 1/2 tsp shredded coconut. Without this also the mix will taste good. Seve like chutney as a side dish with rice or kanji.

Paneer Pakora and The Second Award

Now its a second award in a row. Yesterday I got the first one,now here is the second one.
Zareena form http://myexperimentswithfood.blogspot.com/ shared this for me.
Thanks a lot Zareena for sharing this award.

Now waiting for a hatrick ;) Just Joking.

Paneer Pakora
Ingredients:
1. Besan Powder- 1 tbsp
2. Maida/All Purpose Powder- 1 tbsp
3. Cornflour- 1 tbsp
4. Ginger-Garlic Paste- 1/4 tsp
5. Salt,to taste
6. Chilly Powder- 1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric Powder- a pinch
8. Paneer/COttage Cheese, cut into small cubes- 1 cup(10-12 pieces)
9. Sunflower/Vegetable Oil to deep fry

Preparation Method:
1. In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together except 7 and 8 with enough water.
2. Heat oil in a pan to deep fry.
3. When the mixture in the bowl comes to a semi-thick consistency, dip the paneer pieces one by one into the mixture and slide them into the hot oil.

4. Fry them into golden brown color, do not fry them more than 2-3 minutes as we do during some veggie deep frying, because the there is nothing to get cooked inside since paneer can be eaten as such.

5. When fried for only 2 minutes the cover gets cooked as well as it stay very soft. Since we have used a combination of all the flours, it will be very soft(due to maida) plus crispy(cornflour) , but not oily caused by besan.

6. Serve hot with coriander and tamarind chutney.

So, again its time for a give away: Choosing some of them to whom I cudn't share this previously.
My award goes to:
1. Swathi Swapna of The weekend Epicurean.
2. Plateful of http://nashplateful.blogspot.com/
3. Priya of priya's easy n tasty recipes.
4. Suja Sugathan of Kitchen Corner-Try it.
5. Asha of Tasty Challenge.
6. Deepa Nair of Regional Indian Cuisine blogroll.
7. Reshmi Mahesh of Easy cook.
8. Deepa Praveen of http://deepapraveen.blogspot.com/
9. Shanavi of Kitchen Secrets.
10. Harika of Harika's Kitchen.

Please accept.

Vegetable Pulao/Pulav/Pilaf and My First Award

Here comes the first award for me: thanks a lot Sojo for the award.

Vegetable Pulao Recipe
Ingredients:
1. Long Basmati Rice-1 cup
2. 2 cups of Water
3. Fresh Green Peas- 1/4 cup
4. Onion,thinly chopped- 1/2 cup
5. Cardamoms- 3-4
6. Cinnamon- 4
7. Cloves and bay leaves- 2-4
8. Carrot,thinly chopped- 1/2 cup
9. Cabbage-1/4 cup,thinly sliced
10. Ghee- 4 tsps
11. Salt,to taste
12. Coriander leaves-chopped- 1/2 cup
13. Fried onions and cashews- 1/4 cup

Preparation Method:
1. Wash and soak the rice for half an hour, drain and keep aside.
2. Heat 2 tsps ghee in a pan and fry the cinnamon, cloves,bay leaves and cardamoms.
3. Saute for 2-3 minutes, add all the vegetables and fry for 3 minutes with some salt.
4. Then add the drained rice, salt and mix well with the spices to infuse well. Dry out the water if any and coat the rice well with ghee.

5. Now, add 2 cups of water, coriander leaves and boil.

6. When the water starts boiling, reduce the flame,cover and cook till the rice is done.
7. Finally open the lid and add the rest of the ghee, ghee-fried onion and cashews. Close and keep for a minute.
8. Switch off the flame and mix well without mashing the rice. To make it easy, if you need you can transfer this to a flat wide open pan and mix well.

9. Garnish with some coriander leaves and serve hot with the vegetable gravies like Panner butter masala.

Happy to share the award with some of the other bloggers:

1. Kothiyavunu
2. Soumya of entepachakalokam
3. Deepa of Hamaree Rasoi
4. Srav's Culinary Concepts
5. Tina of kaipunyam.com
6. Anshu of My Mom's Recipes
7. Rachu of ammandbaby
8. Jaisy of entepachakasala
9. Um Mymunah of Taste Of Pearl city
10. Sarah Naveen of Vazhayila.com


1.Accept the award. Post it in your blog with the name of the blogger who has given u this award with a link to his/her blog.
2.Pass it on to 15 other blogger friends to keep the ball rolling.
3.Let the nominated blogger know about their award [leave a comment in their most recent post]

Chicken Varattiyath/Chicken Ularth

It has been a while that I tried something new out of chicken. I was just sticking to the different chicken dishes that I have already posted. But I am rejuvenated and yesterday I wanted to try a new dish. Thanks for this recipe, Annita. this is from her blog:My treasure My Pleasure.
But, I made with some changes in the the original recipe.It came out very well. Try it and Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1. Chicken – 1/2 kg
2. Onion thinly sliced– 4 medium
3. Ginger-Garlic paste – 3 tsp
4. Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
5. Red Chilly powder – 3 tsp
6. Coriander powder – 6 tsp
7. Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
8. Garam masala powder – 2 tsp
9. Salt – to taste
10. Coconut oil – 3 tsp


Preparation Method:
1. Clean the chicken wll with some salt and turmeric powder, keep aside.
2. In a wide open pan add coconut oil and add sliced onion.
3. Add some of the curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste. Saute till the onion becomes soft.

4. Add all the chicken with some turmeric powder and salt. Toss for two minutes.
5. Now add all the powders and mix well to infuse the flavors into the chicken.

6. Do not add any trace of water into it. The water oozing out from the chicken will be enought to cook the chicken.
7. Keep the lid and cook in low flame,till the chicken is fully cooked and soft.Stir in intervals.

8. Once cooked, fry the chicken in low flame with the lid open.
9. Fry the chicken and onion to crisp. Finally add some curry leaves and sprinkle some fresh coconut oil.

10. Serve hot with Kerala parotta/roti or even boiled rice.