Chembu kichadi( taro stem kichadi )

There are 2 types of chembu or taro plant .Taro plant is highly nutritious.

Most edible taro has irritating, needle-like crystals (oxalic acid), and must be cooked to dissolve it. Undercooked taro root and taro leaves can cause extremely unpleasant itching in your mouth.

But the big taro plant is said to cause less itching . So i have used the big chembu for cooking this recipe.

To reduce itching tendency always apply oil on ur hands before you start touching the taro plant. We also call it "thalu" in kerala. This is something very special we make in kerala at my place. 

Ingredients

1. Thale pieces - 5 Cup
2. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
3. Chilly Powder- 1 tsp
4. Green Chilly- 4 No
5. Crushed mustard- 1/4 tsp
6. Coconut grated- 1 Cup
7. Mustard -  1 tsp
8. Red Chilly- 3 nos
9. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
10. Curd 1 Cup
11. Salt as required
12. Oil for cooking
13. Curry leaves

How to Cook :

Kanni chembe big chembe

kanni chembe cut lengthwise

kannichembe skin peeled off

kanni chembe cut into thin pieces

1. Add the thale , 1 cup water, turmeric powder, chilly powder into the cooker.
2. Cook in the cooker to 5 or 6 whistles.
3. Grind  the coconut, greenchily, crushed mustard just for 1 or 2 rounds.Make sure it doesnt become fine paste.
4. Add this grinded paste to the cooked thale.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and cook for sometime.
6. When it start to boil add the curd .
7. Add oil to the pan , add the redchilly mustard and fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard splutter.
8. Add this to the curry.
9. Add the curry leaves.
10. Tranfer to serving dish . 
11. Serve with hot rice.

Mango pudding

This pudding is to be best made in Mango season during when we get very ripe  mangoes..Since now it is off season i had to mix mango pieces with sugar to get a sweet taste.

Ingredients

1. Mango pieces - 1 1/2 cup
2. Milkmaid- 1/2 tin
3. Milk- 1 cup
4. Water- 1/2 cup
5. China grass- 5 grams
6. Cream 3 tbsp
7. Sugar - 6 tbsp

How to Cook:

1. Mix the mango pieces with 6 tbsp sugar .Keep aside  in fridge overnight .
2. Add the mango pieces to a mixie  and grind it quicky.It should not be a paste form. .
3. Double boil the Chinagrass till it fully dissolves.
4. Boil the milk.When the milk come to boil add the milkmaid, cream and stir for 10 minutes.
5. Mix the chinagrass solution and milk- milkmiad mixture. Make sure you mix it when both the milk milkmaid mixture and chinagrass solution are hot.Let it cool.
6. After 20 minutes , when it is cool , add the mango  mixture. keep it aside for half an hour. 
7. After half an hour , it will start to thicken.
8. Garnish with cherries.
9. Refrigerate it for 3 hours.

Mushroom Varuthe Aracha Curry

My mom is a great fan of mushrooms. We should be very careful in selecting the mushrooms as some mushrooms are toxic.
I bought this home made mushrooms which we get from my nearby home.
So i found it safe to be cooked.

Ingredients

1. Mushroom - 3 cups
2. Onion  chopped- 1 No
3. Coconut - 3/4 cup
4. Red chilly  - 6 No ( of you want more spicy add 2 more )
5. Onion Shallots- 10 Nos
6. Whole Coriander- 2 tbsp
7. Tomato chopped - 1 No
8. Pepper - 6 Nos
9. Green Chilly slit - 2 nos
10. Ginger chopped to pieces- 1 tsp
11. Salt as required
12. Oil as required
13. Curry leaves

How To Cook :

1. Wash the mushrooms well
2. Soak musrooms in salt and turmeric water for half an hour.
3. After half an hour , remove the stem and cut out the flower.
4. Cook the mushrooms in 1 cup water to 3 whistles in a cooker.
5. Fry the coconuts till golden brown . Keep aside.
6. Add 1 tsp oil to the pan and fry the onion shallots , curry leaves and keep it aside.
7. Add 1 tsp oil to the pan and fry the red chilly . Keep it aside.
8. Fry the coriander and keep it aside.
9. Make a paste of the fried items in a mixie and keep it aside.
10. Add the paste to the cooked musrooms.
11. Also add the greenchilly, ginger, tomato, little water and bring to boil.
12. Add salt as per taste.
13. Add oil to the pan and fry the onions . 
14. Garnish the curry with fried onions.

VADUKAPULI NARANGHA CURRY

Ingredients

1. Vadukapuli Naranga - 1 No
2. Green Chilly -  10 nos chopped 
3. Ginger - 25 grams chopped to small pieces
4. Chilly powder- 4 tbsp
5. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
6. Asafoetida- 1 tsp
7. Salt as required
8. Oil - 3 tbsp

How to Cook

VADUKAPULI NARANGHA 

1. Cut the narangha into small square pieces .
2. Remove the seeds of the narangha and also make sure  you dont remove the skin.
3. Fry the fenugreek and make a powder of it. Keep it aside.
4. Mix the narangha with ginger , green chilly , fenugreek powder, salt, asafoetida,oil, chilly powder  well.
5. Keep aside for 1 day.
6. Next day transfer to a bowl and refrigerate it.

Nut Meg pickle

Nutmeg is what we call " jathiikka  " in Malayalam  Nutmeg is covered with red mace. The outer yellow color part is called the nutmeg fruit. We use this nutmeg fruit  cut into pieces to make this pickle.I will upload the pic of the nutmeg fruit.IF you google it , you will see the nutmeg fruit.
It is very good for the stomach. 

  

Ingredients

1. Nut Meg - 10 nos skin ( yellow part of it )
2. Chilly powder- 3 tbsp
3. Asafoetida- 1 tsp
4. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
5. Salt as required
6. Oil - 3 tbsp

How to Cook

1. Cut the jathikka into pieces and soak in water for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour, drain out the water .
3. Fry the fenugreek and make a powder of it.Keep it aside.
4. Add oil to the pan and when it is hot saute the jathikka pieces in it for sometime.(10 minutes minimum )
5. Add 1/2 glass water and cook till the water gets dried off.
6. Mix the jathikka with , salt, asafoetida,fenugreek powder, chilly powder  well.
7. Heat oil and mix it with the jathika pieces
8. Keep aside for 1 day.
9. Next day transfer to a bowl and refrigerate it.

Malai Koftha

Ingredients

For the Kofthas

1. Paneer - 10 Nos grated
2. Potato- 2 No medium sized
3. Beans- 10 No chopped into tiny pieces
4. Frozen Green Peas- 1/2 Cup
5. Carrot- 1 no chopped to tiny pieces
6. Green Chilly - 2 No chopped
7. Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
8. Corn Flour- 2 tsp
9. Salt as required
10. Coriander leaves chopped
11. Maida /  All purpose flour- 1/2 cup or as required to get a thick dough
12. Maida to dip before fryign the kofthas.
13. Oil for frying

How to Cook :

1. Cook the potato in cooker to 2 whistle.
2. Steam the Carrot , Beans for 15 minutes.
3. Boil the frozen green peas for 2 minutes. Drain out the water and set aside.
4. Mash the potato.
5. Mix the potato , paneer , coriander leaves,green chilly , ginger garlic paste cooked beans , carrot and peas with hand together  very well.
6. Add the 2 tsp  corn flour  and maida enough to make the dough thick .(Dough should not have much water.)
7. Make goose berry sized balls.Roll the ball in the maida dough .
8. Fry the balls till it becomes brown colour. It will take around 5 minutes.( Keep on adjusting the flame as required so that it is not over cooked )

For the gravy

1. Onions - 3 Nos chopped
2. Cloves- 3 no
3. Cardamon- 2 nos
4. Tomatoes - 1 No chopped
5. Butter - 2 tsp
6. Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tsp
7. Coriander Powder- 1 tsp
8. Chilly powder- 1 tsp
9. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
10. Garam Masala - 3 tsp
11. Coriander leaves chopped
12. Sugar - 2 tsp
13. Milk - 1 cup
14. Cream - 3 tbsp
15. Oil as required

How to Cook 

1. Add oil to the pan, when it is hot add cardamon , cloves . Saute for 1 minute.
2. Add the onions and  saute the onions  till translucent . It should not turn brown.
3. Add ginger garlic paste, saute for 1 minute.
4. Add the masalas and cook till the raw smell goes off.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and  saute for 2 minutes.
6. Add 1/4 cup water and cook till the oil starts leaving the sides.
7. Switch off the flame and keep aside to cool
8. When the gravy cool down , add to a mixie and make a paste of it .
9. Add butter to the pan and and the grinded paste into it and cook for 2 minutes.
10. Add 1 cup milk and the 3 tbsp cream and cook for 1 minute.
11. Add sugar ( optional ) but it adds taste to the curry. 
12. Add the kofthas and cook for 5 minutes.
13. Switch off the flame .
14. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Papaya Pudding

I tried this recipe for a change. Those who love the taste of papaya will like this .

Ingredients:

1. Ripe papaya - chopped to pieces- 2 cups
2. MilkMaid-  1 tin
3. Milk- 1/2 cup
4. China Grass- 5 grams
5. Water- 1/2 Cup
6. Sugar- 6 tbsp

How To Cook

1. Mix the papaya pieces with 4 tb sugar and 1/2 cup water.Keep aside for 2 hours.
2. Cook the papaya for 5 minutes.Keep it aside.
3. When it cool down , add to a mixie  and grind to a paste form .
4. Double boil the Chinagrass till it fully dissolves.
5. Mix the milk maid and milk .Boil milk milkmaid mixture.
6. Mix the chinagrass solution and milk- milkmiad mixture. Make sure you mix it when both the milk milkmaid mixture and chinagrass solution are hot.Let it cool.
7. After 20 minutes , when it is cool , add the papaya mixture. keep it aside for half an hour. 
8. After half an hour , it will start to thicken.
9. Garnish with cherries.
10. Refrigerate it for 3 hours.
11. Serve chilled.

Note : When you use the papaya, please make sure you use only the inner very very ripe part. Please avoid the outer layers especially layers near to the skin of papaya.
Adding vanilla essence adds taste to the pudding.
If you want a very light flavour of papaya , add only 1 cup.
IF the papaya is very ripe , please reduce milkmaid to 1/2 tin and use 1 cup milk instead.

Elaneer pudding / Karikke pudding/Tender Coconut Pudding

In kerala , we  have lot of coconuts. We use coconut in different forms.We use the young coconuts for making this pudding.Tender coconuts are very healthy  and nutritious.It is  composed of sugar , minerals, vitamin  C, electrolyte - potassium, amino acids, anti oxidants  It is given to patients having diarrhea.It is a healthy drink given to pregnant women too.

Ingredients

1. Elaneer/ karikke pieces/ Tender coconut pulp - 2 cups
2. Elaneer water / karikkum vellam/Tender coconut water- 2 cups
3. China grass- 10 grams
4. Milkmaid- 1 tin
5. Milk- 1 1/2 cup
6. Water- 1/2 glass
7. Sugar- 4 tbsp
8. Coconut grated- 1/2 cup

How to Cook :

1 . Mix the coconut pulp and coconut water in a mixie just to mix it. It should not be grinded too much , we should get the pulp to bite in the pudding.

MIX ELANEER AND ELANEER PULP WELL

2 .   Mix the milkmaid with the milk, 2 tbsp sugar  and boil it.

MIX MILKMAID WITH MILK

3 . Soak the chinagrass in 1/2  glass water  for 15 minutes..Double boil the chinagrass in a bowl till it dissloves completely ( When you start to double boil chinagrass, keep another bowl of water for boiling.Approximately when the water in the another boil start to boil , china grass would be fully dissolved and ready to be used).

4. Mix the chinagrass into the milk milkmaid mixture. Always make sure you mix these when both the milk and chinagrass solution  are hot.

MIX CHINA GRASS SOLUTION , MILKMILKMAID

 5.Let the mixture cool .

6. Mix the coconut water into the milk milkmaid mixture . Mix it well . Keep aside for 20 minutes.
7. It will start to thicken.

SET ASIDE FOR 20 MINUTES AND IT WILL START TO THICKEN

8 Heat a pan and  put the grated coconut ,2 tbsp sugar. Fry it in low flame till it start to turn brown.
9.Garnish the pudding with the fried coconuts.
9.Refrigerate it for 3 hours. 

AFTER REFRIGERATING FOR 2 HOURS.

Note: When you mix milk and milkmaid  if you do like this , it is better. Boil the milk.When the milk come to boil add the milkmaid and stir for 10 minutes.

Prawns Biriyani

Ingredients:

1. Prawns - 1 1/2 Cups
2. Onion- 3 No
3. Basmati Rice- 2 Cup
4. Onion - 2 No for frying.
5. Tomato- 2 No
6. Mint + Coriander Leaves chopped- 1/2 Cup
7. Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
9. Garam Masala-1 tsp
10. Green Chilly - 1 No
11. Cloves- 6 No
12. Cardamon- 4No
13. Bayleaves
14. Cashewnut Paste- 2tbsp
15. Cashewnut and raisins - 1/s cup
16. Salt
17. Oil
18. Ghee- 3 tbsp

Marinade:

1. Chilly Powder- 1 tbsp
2. Turmeric Powder-1/2 tsp
3. Salt to Taste

How to Cook:

1. Marinate the prawns with the ingredients and keep aside for 1 hour.
2. Cook the prawns .Stir fry the prawns for sometime till it gets cooked.
3. Wash the rice well and soak in water for half and hour.
4. After half an hour, drain out the water , keep the rice aside.
5. Soak the cashewnuts in 1/4 cup water and make a paste of it.
6. Add oil to the pan, add cloves , cardamon , bayleaves , saute for 1 minute.
7. Add onions and  saute the onion  till it turn golden brown.
8. Grind the coriander leaves, mint leaves, cashewnuts ,greenchilly, garam masala , coriander powder,tomatoes, turmeric powder  to a finepaste and add to the sauted onions.Cook for 5   to 7 minutes.
9. Add the rice to the onions and Saute for 3-4 minutes taking care not to burn the rice kernels.
10. Add the cooked prawns and mix it well.
11. Add 4 cups of water , 1 tsp lemon ,salt and bring to boil.
12. Close the pan and cook for sometime.
13. Check in between  whether the rice  is cooked.Cook for minimum 20 to 25 minutes.
14. Add ghee to the pan and fry the raisins and cashewnuts.
15. Add oil to the pan ad fry the onions.
16. Garnish the cooked rice with fried onions, cashew and raisins.

Kaya Tholi thoran

This is  a very special nadan recipe. We make this a lot especially during the Onam festival in kerala.
During Onam ,  we make banana chips in kerala. So we remove the skin or peel off the skin of the bananas and cut into slices to make banana chips.
We use the leftover banana skin ( Kaya Tholi ) to cook this and this is a very yummy recipie.

Ingredients:

1. Kaya tholi of 7 bananans ( Banana Skin ) - chopped into pieces.
2. Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
3. Greenchilly- 1 no
4. Onion shallots- 7 No
5. Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
6. Salt as required
7. Turmeric powder- as required
8. Red Chilly- 4 Nos
9. Curry Leaves as required.
10. Oil as required

How to Cook :

1. Clean the chopped banana skin and wash it well.
2. Add the chopped banana skin pieces with required salt and turmeric water to the cooker.
3. Cook the chopped banana skin in  1 glass water in cooker to 5 whisltes .
4. Grind the coconut , greenchilly and onion shallots in a mixie . Keep this aside.
5. Add oil to the pan , add mustard seeds and red chilly.
6. Let it splutter. Add the  cooked banana pieces into this .
7. Cook for sometime till the water gets dried off.( vellam vattiche idukukka)
8. Add the grinded coconut in to this and saute for 2 minutes.
9. Garnich with curry leaves. 
10. Serve hot with rice.

Kaya Tholi Vanpayar Mezhukkuvaratti

Ingredients

1. Kayatholi  ( Banana Skin ) - chopped into pieces. - 3 cups
2. Vanpayar - 1/2 cup
3. Onion Shallots- 7 Nos
4. Red Chilly- 4 Nos
5. Salt as required
6. Oil as required
7. Curry leaves as required

How to Cook:

1. Soak the vanpayar overnight.
2. Cook the vanpayar in cooker to 4 whistle minimum.
3. Clean the chopped banana skin and wash it well.
4. Add the chopped banana skin pieces with required salt and turmeric water to the cooker.
5. Cook the chopped banana skin in 1 glass water in cooker to 5 whisltes .
6. Chop the onion shallots into fine pieces.
7. Crush the redchilly.
8. Add oil to the pan and cook the the onion shallots and redchilly for 3 minutes . 
9. When it is cooked add the cooked vanpayar and banana skin chopped.
10. Close the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
11. Garnish with curry leaves , serve hot with rice.

Cherupayar mulapichathe mezhukkuvaruti

Sprouted Moong Dal is very healthy and it has a lot of proteins, vitamins  and calcium . It is easily digestible as well. It can be used to make salads.It is fat free , cholesterol free and has high fiber content.Sprouted beans also has less carbohydrate content.
It is very good for children and good for the brain development.

Ingredients :

1. Cherupayar mulappichathu - 2 glass
2. Tomato- 1
3.  Onion -1 
4. Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
5. Chilly Powder- 1 tsp
6. Garlic - 4 pods chopped 
7. Salt as required
8. Oil as required
9. Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
10. Red Chilly
11. Urud Dal -1/4 tsp
12. Curry leaves

How to Cook :

Sprouted Moong dal

1. Wash the moong Dal well.
2. Soak the moong Dal for 12 hours.
3. After 12 hours , drain out the water and wrap the moong Dal in a wet cloth and keep closed overnight.
4. Moog Dal will be sprouted.
5. Add oil to the pan , when it s hot , add urud Dal , mustard seeds and red chilly.
6. When it splutter , add the onion , saute till it turn brown.
7. Add the tomato, garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
8. Add the turmeric powder , chilly powder ,salt , curryleaves saute for 2 minutes.
9. Add the sprouted Dal , enough water , close the pan and cook for 10 minutes.( it gets cooked fast , so check in between so that it does not get overcooked.
10. Serve hot with rice.

Bread Bhajji

Ingredients:

1. Maida ( All purpose Flour) - 2 Glass
2. Bread - 6 nos cut into triangular or square pieces
3. Red Chilly powder- 1 tbsp
4. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
5. Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
6. Green Chilly chopped- 2 Nos chopped finely.
7. Coriander leaves chopped- 2 tbsp
8. Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
9. Oil for frying
10. Salt required.

How to cook:

1. Prepare the batter by mixing the maida, ginger, garlic, greenchilly, salt, coriander leaves to get a loose dough.
2. Heat oil in the pan .
3. Dip each bread piece and fry for a maximum of 2 minutes .It wll be cooked soon.
4. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Note  : We can also use besan powder instead of maida which is a better option

Easy Mango Curry

Ingredients:

1. Mango pieces-  2 cups
2. Chilly Powder- 4 tbsp
3. Salt as required
4. Asafoetida- 1 tsp
5. Fenugreek powdered- 1 tsp
6. Oil - 2 tbsp

How to Cook:

1. Mix the mango pieces with salt and Keep aside in a closed bowl for 1 day.
2. Next day mix the mango pieces with chilly powder, oil, asafoetida, fenugreek powder and keep aside for 8 hours.
3. After 8 hours ,transfer to a glass bowl and keep in fridge.
4. Please make sure you use it within 2 weeks.

Karikke / Tender Coconut Varuthe Aracha Curry

Ingredients:

1. Karikke pieces -  2 Cups
2. Coconut grated- 1/2 Glass
3. Onion shallots- 4 Nos
4. Red chilly - 5 Nos
5. Coriander - 1/2 tsp
6. Ginger cut into pieces- 1 small piece
7. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
8. Tomatoes -1 No
9. Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
10. Green Chilly-2 No
11. Oil as required
12. Salt as required
13. Curry Leaves

How to Cook :

1. Cook the tender coconut pieces, turmeric powder, salt in 1/2 glass water to 2 whistles in cooker.
2. Cook the onions till it turn brown.
3. Fry the redchilly and keep it aside.
4. Fry the coconut and keep it aside.
5. Fry the coriander and keep it aside.
6. Add the pepper powder to the fried coconut and just heat it.
7. Mix the fried items in  mixie to paste form with little water.
8. Add this paste to the cooked karikke .
9. Add the ginger pieces , tomato sliced .
10. Slice the green chillies and add to the cooked karikke.
11. Cook in cooker to 1 whislte.
12. Add oil and curry leaves.
13. Serve hot with rice / rotis.