Vermicelli Rice

Basmati rice -1cup (soak  in water at least 30 minutes)
Ghee-3tbsp
Roasted Vermicelli -1/2cup
Cinnamon -2sticks
Cardamom -1
Cloves -4
Bay leaves -2
Onion(chopped)-1
Lemon juice -1tsp
Salt -to taste

For garnishing
Sliced  onions -1
Cashew nuts - a handful
Raisins - a handful

• Heat ghee in a pan and fry garnished portion of onions ,cashew nuts and raisins.Keep it aside .
• Fry all spices and chopped onions.
• When the onions become golden add drained rice and Vermicelli .Fry  for about 4 minutes.
• Add 3 cups of water, lemon juice and salt.Cook till the water is dried completely and rice is cooked. 
• Garnish with fried onions ,cashew nuts and raisins.

Mango Kulfi

Mango -400gms
Condensed milk-1/2tin
Milk powder-3tbsp
Sugar-2tbsp
Cream-100gms
Chopped Pistachio -2tbsp

• Peel and chop the mangoes .Then blend together mango,milk powder.condensed milk .cream and sugar to a smooth paste.
• Pour blended mixture into a freezer box and freeze for about 3 hours .After 3 hours blend it again for 4 -5 minutes .Add chopped pistachio and mix well.Pour into kulfi moulds and freeze it for another 3 -4 hours.
• Before serving, dip the moulds in warm water to make the frozen desserts easier to remove.

Paneer Tikka

Paneer cubes/cottage cheese-250 gms
Red Capsicum -1
Yellow Capsicum-1
Green capsicum-1
Onion-2
Bamboo Skewers 

For the marinade:
Yoghurt -3/4 cup
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Kashmiri chili powder-2tsp
Garam masala powder
Coriander powder-1tsp
Chat masala-1tsp
Ginger garlic paste -1 tbsp 
Lemon juice-half lemon
Salt
Olive oil-2tbsp

• Mix marinade ingredients with paneer and vegetables .Marinate for atleast 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Skewer the veggies and paneer alternately on skewers 
• Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius,arrange the paneer skewers.Bake  for 20-25 minutes.
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Banana Kozhukkatta (Sweet Dumplings)

1. Brown rice flour-2cups
2. Boiling water-1 1/2-2 cups
3. Salt
4. Shredded coconut-3/4cup
5. Plantains -2
6. Ghee-2 tsp
7. Jaggery-150gms
8. Cardamom powder-1tsp
9. Fried cashew nut-a handful

• Add boiled water to rice flour and little salt to make the dough.Keep aside for 10-15 miutes.

• Make ‘Sharkkarapavu’ by boiling 1/2 cups of water with jaggery.When it turns to semi liquid, add chopped plantains ,ghee and shredded coconut.Let it cook for 8-10 minutes.Add cardamom powder and cashew nuts . keep it aside.

• Place each ball in your palm and press with the other hand to flatten.Place a spoonful of coconut-banana mix in the center of the flattened dough.Close the dough around the coconut to form a ball. Roll in hand until well formed.

• Steam the dumplings for 10 minutes.

Dahi Vada

For Vada
Urad dal/Uzhunnu parippu-3/4cup
Green chilly-1
Ginger-1/2" piece 
Salt 
Oil-For frying 

For Dahi 
Yoghurt-2 cups
Roasted cumin seed powder-1/2tsp
Chilly powder-1/2tsp 
Salt 

For garnishing
Dates-tamarind Chutney

Coriander leaves-a handful


Chilly powder
Roasted cumin seed powder
Chat masala
Sev(optional)

• Wash and soak urad dal in water for an hour.Drain all the water from the soaked urad dal.Grind it along with ginger,green chilly and salt to a thick paste.(add little water if required)

• Heat oil in a pan .Make small lemon sized balls from the batter and deep fry until golden brown.

• Soak fried vadas in warm water for 30 seconds.Take out and squeeze so as to remove the excess water from it.

• Beat yoghurt with chilly powder,roasted cumin seed powder and salt.

• Arrange vadas in a serving bowl. Pour the yoghurt mixture evenly so that all the vadas get covered completely.

• Garnish with Dates tamarind chutney,chilly powder,roasted cumin seed powder ,chat masala coriander leaves and sev.

 

Dates-Tamarind Chutney

Dates-1/2cup(chopped)
Tamarind paste-1/2cup
Jaggery-1/4cup
Red chilly powder-1/2tsp
Roasted cumin seed powder-1/2tsp
Water

Salt 

Soak dates in 1 cup boiling water for 30 minutes.Blend all the ingredients together in a mixer until smooth.Add water if needed.
Boil till thick .Store in airtight containers and refrigerate.

Semiya Payasam(Vermicelli Kheer)

Semiya(Vermicelli)-1/2 cup
Sago-1tbsp(optional)
Milk-600ml 
Condensed milk/Sugar-1/2cup
Cardamom seeds-3(crushed)
Ghee-1tbsp
Cashew nuts-a handful
Raisins-a handful
Saffron-a pinch (optional) 

• Soak sago in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes.

• Heat ghee in a pan.Fry cashewnuts and raisins.Keep it aside.

• In the same ghee add vermicelli and fry on medium flame until golden brown

• Now add milk ,sago and cardamom.Once the milk comes to a boil,lower the flame.Cook until the vermicelli gets soft and the milk thickens slightly.Add sugar /condensed milk.Cook few more minutes and switch off flame.

• Garnish with cashewnuts,raisins and saffron strands.

Serve hot or chilled.

Nadan Ullivada (Thattukada Style) /Onion Fritters

 Ullivada

• 500 grams Onion
• 2 springs of curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida Powder
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• Salt-to taste
• 2 tbsp Maida
• 2 tbsp Gram flour
• Oil -for frying

Add sliced onions, curry leaves, turmeric powder, chilli powder, nutmeg powder and salt in a mixing bowl and knead well by hand.

Now add two tablespoons of maida and two tablespoons of gram flour. Knead well and make a thick dough.No need to add water.

Heat enough oil to fry the ullivada in a deep pan. Once the oil is hot, maintain the oil to be in low-medium heat.

Make small balls out of the dough and flatten it , carefully place it in hot oil.

Fry until crispy and golden in color on a low-medium heat. Flip to both sides several times, for even frying.

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Vanpayar Curry / Red gram Curry

1.Redgram (Vanpayar)-1cup
2.Onion (sliced) -1  
   Pearl onion-1/2cup
   Tomato (sliced) -1
   Ginger (chopped)-1tsp
   Garlic (chopped) -1tsp
   Green chilly-2
   Coconut flakes (thenga kothu) -1/4cup
4.Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp  
   Chilly powder-1tsp  
   Coriander powder -2tsp  
   Garam masala -½tsp
5.Coconut oil -2tbsp  
   Dry red chilly -2  
   Mustard seed -1tsp  
   Curry leaves -a few  
   Pearl onion(chopped)-3

• Soak redgram in water for 5-6 hours. 
• Pressure cook it adding enough water,turmeric powder onion ,pearl onion,tomato ,ginger ,garlic,green chilly,coconut flakes and salt. 
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.When they splutter,add red chilly,onion and curry leaves. 
• Fry till brown and add turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and garammasala .
• Add cooked chickpeas along with water .Mix well and adjust salt and water.
• Cook until thegravy thickens.
• Serve with puttu, chapathi, upma,etc.

Easy Palappam

Raw rice/Basmati rice-2 cups
Cooked rice-3/4 cup
Thick coconut Milk-3/4 cup/Coconut milk powder-3tbsp
Water
Yeast-1/2 tsp
Luke warm water-1/4cup
Sugar-2-3 tbsp 
Salt 

• Soak rice in water for 2-3 hours.

• Soak yeast in luke warm water for 10-15 minutes.

• Grind all the  ingredients together to a fine paste.Add water if needed.

•  Allow the batter to ferment for 6-8 hours.

• Heat a non sick appachatti.Pour a laddleful of batter and swirl the pan around,spreading the batter to the sides of the pan.

• Cover with the lid and cook on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Slowly remove the appam from the pan.
• Serve with stew,kadala curry,chicken curry,etc

Nadan Mushroom Curry

Mushrooms-200 gms
Onion(sliced)-2medium
Ginger(chopped)-1tsp
Garlic(chopped)-1tsp
Green chilly(sliced)-2
Tomato(sliced)-1
Turmeric Powder-1/4tsp
Chilly Powder-1/2tsp
Coriander powder-1tsp
Pepper Powder-1/2tsp
Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
Thin coconut milk-1/2 cup
Thick coconut milk-1/2 cup
Coconut oil-1 tbsp
Mustard seeds-1tsp
Curry leaves    

• Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.Add onion,ginger, garlic,green chilly and curry leaves.Fry onions till translucent
• Add masala powders and fry for a minute.
• Add chopped tomatos ,mushrooms ,thin coconut milk and salt.Cover and cook on medium flame for 6-8 minutes. 
• Add thick coconut milk and allow it to a boil.Remove from heat.
• Serve with appam,chapathi,rice and paratha.

 

Soft Ghee Mysore Pak

Besan flour/Gram flour/Kadalamaavu-1&1/2cup
Ghee-2cups
Sugar-2 cups 
Water-1/2 cup 

• Sift the flour.Add 1 cup ghee to the besanflour and mix well without any lumps.Set aside

• Heat sugar and water in a thick bottomed pan and boil till it forms a single thread consistency..

• Now slowly add the ghee-besan mix to the pan and cook over medium heat while stirring it continuously.

• Add the remaining ghee to the mixture little by little and continue stirring.

• When it starts leaving the sides of the pan but is still in liquid state (10-12 minutes) spread into a greased tray.Cut into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife.

• Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Gujiya (Pastry Stuffed with Coconut and Semolina)

For the Pastry
Maida-1&1/2 cup
Ghee-2 tbsp
Salt
Water


For the Stuffing

Semolina/Rawa-1/2cup
Shredded Coconut-1/2 cup 
Broken Cashewnuts-1/2 cup
Sugar-1/2-3/4cup
Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp

• To make the pastry, mix the flour and ghee, adding water little by little to make a semi-stiff dough. Cover and set aside.

• Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashewnuts and raisins.Add semolina and fry until light brown and aromatic. Add coconut and fry for a minute. Remove from heat and add sugar,cashewnuts,raisins and cardamom powder.Mix well and set aside.

• Divide the dough into lemon sized balls. Flatten each ball into a round disc using a rolling pin.  Spread a spoonful of stuffing on to one of the rolled discs. Fold and seal the edges with a fork.
• Heat oil in a kadai, fry  gujiyas till golden brown on both sides. Store in an airtight container when cooled.

Thenkuzhal Murukku

Raw rice-1cup
Black gram dal(uzhunnu parippu)-1/4cup
Butter-2tbsp
Cumin seed-1tsp
Black sesame seeds-1tsp
Asafoetida powder(kayapodi)-1/4tsp
Warm water-1/2-3/4cup
Salt
Oil

• Soak rice in water for 3-4 hours.Drain and spread on a cotton cloth to absorb the excess moisture.
• When its dry, grind them in a mixer into a fine powder.
• Heat the powder in a pan for 5 minutes and keep stirring it while its heating.Cool the fried rice flour.
• Fry the black gram until light brown.Grind it into a fine powder.
• Make a firm dough with rice flour,black gram flour,butter,cumin seeds,black sesame seeds,asafoetida powder,salt and warm water.Cover and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 4-5equal parts.Fill the murukku press with this dough ( use 3 hole round plate)

 

• Prepare murukkus in a circular motion on the back side of slightly greased ladles.

• Heat oil in a kadai.Drop the murukku carefully into the hot oil.Deep fry over medium-flame till crisp and golden in color.
•  Drain and place in the kitchen tissue.Store in an airtight container when cooled..

 

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