Kalan

 Ingedients

1. Kaya ( Raw Banana ) - 2 no cut into square pieces.
2. Yam - 1 Cup cut into square pieces
3. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
4. GreenChilly - 4 No
5. Jeera - 1 pinch
6. Onion Shallots- 4 Nos
7. Mustard Seeds- 1/4 tsp
8. Curd- 1 Cup
9. Curry Leaves
10. Salt as required
11. Oil as required

How to Cook : 

1. Add the vegetables , turmeric powder , enough water in cooker and cook to 3 whistles minimum
2. or Transfer the vegetables into a pan and close the pan , cook for sometime.
3. If there is more water , boil for sometime till the gravy start to thicken
4. Grind the coconut , jeera , greenchilly to a fine paste.Add this to the cooked vegetables . Boil for 1 minute
5. Add the curd , mix well.
6. Pour oil to a pan , when it is hot , add mustard seeds. Let it splutter . Add to the cooked gravy .
7. Garnish with curry leaves.
8. Serve hot with rice.

Kodappan (Vazha Chundu) Thoran /Banana Flower Thoran

Ingredients

1. Banana Flower- 1 No
2. Coconut Grated - 1/4 Cup
3. GreenChilly- 2 No
4. Onion Shallots- 4 No
5. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
6. Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
7. Oil as required
8. Curry leaves.

How to cut the banana flower for cooking

1. Initially apply oil on your hands before starting to clean the banana flower.
2. Remove the outer layers/banana bract of the flower as shown in the picture.. 
3. Keep on removing until you get a plain white flower.
4. At the edge of the florets, make criss-cross cuttings. ( kothi ariyuka)
5. Chop the florets well.
6. Soak the florets in water for 15 minutes.
7. Drain out the water well.
8. Keep it aside for cooking.

How to cook:

VAZHA CHUNDU

PEEL OFF THE OUTER SKIN

PEEL OFF THE SKIN

MAKE CRISS CROSS CUTTINGS AND CHOP

1. Grind the onion shallots, coconut and greenchilly in a mixie.
2. Mix the grinded coconut, tumeric powder with banana flower and keep it aside for cooking.
3. Add oil to the pan , when it is hot add the mustard seeds. let it splutter
4. When it splutter add the banana flower, close the pan and cook  for 10 minutes.
5. Make sure it is not over cooked. 
6. It get cooked well within 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Add curry leaves .

Note: You can also add jeera  while grinding the coconut .

Navaratna kurma

This is my 100th recipe for my blog.
I love sweet curries.We can add a variety of vegetables in this .Like frenchbeans, capsicum paneer and etc.But i have used carrot , beans , peas, potatoes, cauliflower)

Ingredients

1. Onion- 4 No
2. Vegetables - 4 cup ( Carrot, Beans, Green Peas, Potatoes, cauliflower)
3. Tomato - 1No
4. Cloves , cardamon, bayleaves- 2 tbsp
5. Ginger - Garlic paste- 1 tbsp
6. Chilly Powder- 1 tsp
7. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
8. Garam masala  - 2 tbsp
9. Raisins - 2 tbsp
10. Cashewnuts- 1/2 Cup
11. Milk-  1 1/4 Cup
12. Cream- 1 tbsp
13. Pineapple pieces- 1/2 Cup ( Cook in 1/4 cup water) 
14. Sugar- 1 tbsp
15. Salt as required
16. Oil as required
17. Grapes- 10 No
18. Coriander leaves
19. Paneer- 6 pieces

How to Cook:

1. Fry the paneer pieces and Keep it aside.
2. Mix  pineappe pieces, with sugar and cook the pieces  in 1/4 cup water for 10 minutes. Keep it aside.
3. Soak the cashewnuts and raisins for half an hour
4. Grind the milk , cashewnut , raisins together.keep it aside.
5. Add the vegetables to cooker with 2 glass water , cook to 2 whistles.keep it aside.
6. Add oil to the pan  , add the cloves ,cardamon, bayleaves. Let it cook for  1 minute.
7. Add the onions , saute the onions till they turn translucent.
8. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes off.
9. Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder, cook for 2 minutes.
10. Add the tomato and saute for 5 minutes.
11. Add the cooked vegetables , boil till the gravy start to thicken.
12. When the gravy start to thicken add the milk cashew paste.
13. Add the pineapple solution with the pieces to the gravy .
14. Add the coriander leaves  and let it boil for 3 minutes.
15. Garnish with paneer, coriander leaves and grapes.
16. Serve hot with butter nan or roti.

Kaya Payar mezhukkupuratti ( Rawbanana and Long Beans Stir Fry )

Ingredients 

1. Kaya : 2 No
2. Red beans (Red long Beans)- 1/2 kg
3. Onion Shallots- 14 No
4. Red Chilly crushed- 4 No
5. Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
6. Salt
7. Curry Leaves 
8. Oil - as required

How To Cook 

1. Peel off the skin of the banana and cut into small cubes .
2. Cut the red long beans into small long pieces.
3. Cook the kaya and redbeans in one glass water in cooker to 2 whistles.
4. Chop the onion shallots .
5. Add oil to a pan and add the chopped  onion shallots , crushed red chilly.Saute for sometime till the onion become golden brown.
6. Add the cooked kaya and payar with required salt, and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Garnish with curry leaves. Serve hot with rice.

KOORKHA UPPERI (NANJAR DRY CURRY)

Ingredients:

1. Koorkha - 1/2 kg
2. Onion shallots- 8 No
3. Red Chilly- 4 No
4. Turmeric powder
5. Salt as required
6. Oil as required.
7. Curry Leaves

How To Cook

1. Cook the koorkha in cooker in 1/2 cup water to 2 whistles.
2. Chop the onion shallots .
3. Add oil to a pan , when it is hot , add the chopped  onion shallots  and crushed red chilly. Saute for sometime till the onion turn golden brown .
4. Add the cooked koorkha  with required salt and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Garnish with curry leaves.
6. Serve hot with rice.

Ediyan Chakka Thoran

Ingredients:

1. Ediyan Chakka - 3 Cup
2. Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp
3. Salt as required.
4. Onion shallots- 12 No
5. Green Chilly- 2 No
6. Mustard -  1 tsp
7. Red CHilly- 3 nos
8. Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp
9. Coconut - 1 Cup
10. Curry Leaves.
11. Oil

How To Cook

Ediyan Chakka

Ediyan Chakka skin taken off and cut into pieces

1. Transfer the ediyan chakka, turmeric powder, salt to the cooker.
2. Add 1  1/2 Cup water to the cooker and cook the ediyanchakka to 1 whistle.
3. Mash the cooked ediyanchakka well or add the cooked ediyanchakka into the mixie and grind to one round.
4. Crush the coconut, onion challots and the greenchily.Mix it with chakka.
5. Add oil to the pan and when it is hot , add the musatrd, fenugreek seeds and red chilly.When it splutter add the cooked chakka into this.
6. Saute well for 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot with rice.

Brinjal Fry

I am a great fan of brinjal. I cook brinjal in variety of ways.But this is cooked by my mom. I love this recipie of hers.

Ingredients :

1. Brinjal -  5 Nos  cut into sqaure pieces( i used the black long ones)
2. Turmeric- 1/2 tsp
3. Red Chilly powder- 2 tsp
4. Salt - as required
5. Oil as required ( 3 tbsp ) 
6. Curry Leaves

How to Cook :

1. Transfer oil to a pan, when oil is hot , add the brinjal pieces , salt  , turmeric powder.
2. Close the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, add the chilly powder. Cook in shallow flame for 1/2 and hour. 
4. Keep on stirring in between. After 30 minues, transfer to plate.
5. Serve hot.

Kaya Cherupayar Curry ( Banana Moong Dal curry )

Ingredients:

1.  Banana - 1 No cut into square shape.
2. Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
3. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
4. Chilly Powder- 1 /2 tsp
5. Jeera- 1 tsp
6. Coconut Grated- 3/4 Cup
7. Garlic pods - 4 N0
8. Green Chilly - 2 No
9. Oil as required
10. Curry leaves

How to Cook :

1. Soak the banana pieces in water for 10 minutes.After 10 minutes drain the water from the  banana pieces .Keep this aside
2. Add Moong Dal  , salt , turmeric powder, chilly powder, water. .Cook the  Moong Dal  in cooker to 4 /5 whistles.( IF you soak the Moog Dal overnight it will get cooked soon  , you require less number of whistles.)
3. After the Moong Dal  gets cooked , add the banana pieces and cook to 1 whistle.( Add water as required )
4. Boil the mixture.
5. Grind the coconut , jeera ,garlic pods, green chilly with little water to a fine paste form . 
6. Add this to the cooked curry .
7. Boil for 5 minutes.The gravy should be thickened.
8. Add curry leaves.
9. Pour oil and mix it well for 1  minute.
10. Switch off the flame and serve hot with rice.

Cucumber Kichadi

Ingredients

1. Cucumber cut into square pieces- 2 cups
2. Coconut Grated- 3/4 cup
3. Curd-1 cup
4. Mustard - 1/2 tsp
5. Jeera- 1/2 tsp
6. Green chilly - 2 nos
7. Curry Leaves
8. Salt as required
9. Oil- 1 tsp

How to Cook

1. Heat oil in a pan , splutter mustard seeds , add cucumber pieces, curry leaves  salt and cook by closing the pan . 
2. Grind the coconut,  1/2 tsp jeera, green chilly  together to a fine paste.
3. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Transfer the cooked cucumber  into a bowl and add 1 cup curd into the mixture , mix well .
5. Garnish with curry leaves.
6. Serve hot with rice

Note : Either add the coconut jeera greenchilly mixture or grind coconut , green chilly , crushed mustard.

Kung Pao Chicken

This is a variety recipe.It is a chinese recipe. It is traditionally prepared with peanuts in China. I got this recipe from my sister.She add a variety of sauces to this. But as we get limited varieties here i made with the below mentioned sauces alone. She made it when she came for her vacation.We all loved this. This recipe is different since we are mixing the vegetables and chicken together.This is an Indian version of the chinese kunpao chicken Please try this.

Thanks to lekshmichechi for this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients 

1. Chicken  - 1/2 kg
2. Vinegar- 2 tbsp
3. Onion - 2 No cut into square size-
4. Carrots- 1 big cut lengthwise
5. Beans - 5 big cut lengthwise
6. Corn- 1/ 2  Cup
7. Ginger cut into small pieces- 1 1/2 tsp
8. Garlic cut into small pieces- 1 tbsp
9. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
10. Peanuts  fried - 1/2 Cup
11. Soya Sauce- 4 tbsp
12. Chilly Sauce- 1 tsp
13. Hot and Sweet Sauce- 2 tsp
14. Tomato Sauce- 1 tsp
15. Red Chilly Whole crushed- 6 Nos.
16. Mustard- 1 tsp
17. Oil - as required
18. Salt - as required
19. Coriander Leaves for garnishing

How to Cook

1. Clean the chicken well.
2. Cut the chicken into small square pieces.
3. Marinate the chicken with vinegar  for 3 hours.
4. Cook the corn in cooker to 4 - 5 whistles  . ( You can also use the frozen ones as well).Keep this aside.
5. Pour oil to a pan and when it is hot, saute the onions till translucent.
6. Add the ginger garlic pieces and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Transfer the carrots, beans , capsicum to the cooked onion with required salt and turmeric powder and again saute for 2 minutes. 
8. Close the pan, and cook the vegetables.
9. Mix all the vegetables with the cooked corn.
10. Set aside the cooked vegetables.
11. Pour oil to  pan ,add the mustard seeds.
12. When the mustard seed splutter , add the crushed red chilly.Saute for 1 minute.
13. Add the chicken pieces and stir fry the chicken pieces.
14. When the chicken is half cooked add 1 tbsp soya sauce and again saute  till it is cooked well.( Close the pan for 10 minutes if required)
15. Mix the cooked vegetables and the chicken pieces. Mix it together well.
16. Add the soya sauce, hot and sweet  , tomato sauce and chilly sauce mix it well. 
17. Add the peanuts. Stir fry the mixture for 5 minutes.
18. Check salt and add if required.
19. Garnish with coriander leaves.
20. Serve hot with fried rice.

Picture without flash

Note: You can also include mushrooms , brocolli , celery or  french beans .

Carrot Paratha

I love the parathas. I am trying different kinds of parathas now. Sometimes it is difficult for me to roll out the parathas with the filling.So this time i made it different.I first rolled out the dough just like we make for chappathi .Then i spread the filling on one half , just folded it . Again pressed and rolled out a little and it came out well. The best part is the filling didnot comeout much .

Thanks to Lekshmichechi for this wonderful recipe.

Ingredients for the filling :

1. Carrots- 3 No
2. Cumin Powder- 1 tsp
3. Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tbsp- 
4. Garam Masala- 1tsp
5. Coriander leaves- 3 tbsp finely chopped
6. Oil /Ghee as required

Ingredients for the dough

1. Wheat Flour - 2 Cups
2. Water- as required to make a smooth dough
3. Salt - as per taste
4. Oil - 1 tbsp or as required.

How to Cook : .

Picture 1

1. Clean the carrots and grate the carrot well. ( or cut the carrots into small pieces and grind it in a mixie.) Make sure it is grinded well but should not become a paste )
2. Pour oil in a hot pan , add gingergarlic paste and saute for 1 minute , add jeera powder saute for 1 minute.
3. Add the grated carrot , garam masala and cook well.
4. Set aside the filling.(Refer picture 1)
5. Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients for the dough.Make sure the dough becomes soft.
6. Cover the dough with a damp cloth , set aside for half and hour .
7. After 30 minutes, knead  the dough well.
8. Divide the dough into equal sized  balls.
9. Roll out each ball into a thin round shape like we do for chappathis.

11. Place the filling on one half of the rolled out dough..

12 . Fold the rolled out dough from other side.Press it at the edges.

13.Gently press it and slighty roll out the dough .

14.Cook both sides well.Before cooking apply ghee on both sides .Cook till it turn brown.

Aloo paratha

Ingredients for the filling :

1. Potatoes- 4 No
2. Onion- 1 big finely chopped
3. Cumin Powder- 1 tsp
4. Green Chilly- 2 Nos finely chopped
5. Ginger- 1 tbsp finely chopped
6. Garlic- 1 tbsp finely chopped
7. Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
8. Chilly Powder-1 tsp
9. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
10. Coriander leaves- 3 tbsp finely chopped
11. Oil as required

Ingredients for the dough

1. Wheat Flour - 2 Cups
2. Water- as required to make a smooth dough
3. Salt - as per taste
4. Oil - 1 tbsp or as required.

How to Cook

Picture 1

1. Pressure cook the potatoes to 4 whistles.
2. Peel off the skin and mash the potatoes , Keep it aside.
3. Pour oil in a hot pan , add chopped onion and cook till it turn translucent.
4. Add the masalas and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the mashed potatoes, chopped coriander , green chilly , garlic , ginger , salt and mix it well .Switch off the flame. ( please note not to add water in the filling)REFER Picture 1 
6. Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients for the dough.Make sure the dough becomes soft.
7. Cover the dough with a damp cloth , set aside for half and hour .
8. After 30 minutes, knead  the dough well.
9. Divide the dough into small lemon sized balls.
10. Roll out each ball into puri size .
11. Place the filling into the rolled out dough. Close the dough from all sides.
12. Gently press the dough , apply flour on both sides and gently roll into a paratha sized rounds.
13. Transfer to cooking pan and cook both the sides till it turn light brown. Make sure both the sides are cooked well

Red Chilly Chammandi.

Ingredients. 

1. Onion Shallots-  10 No
2. Red Chilly Powder- 1 tbsp or as required
3. Curry Leaves- 15 No
4. Tarmarind - one small gooseberry sized.
5. Coconut - 1 cup

How to Prepare

1. Grind the above mixture in a mixie.

Note : Make sure not to add water.

Rasam

Ingredients. 

1. Whole coriander- 2 tbsp
2. Jeera - 2 tsp
3. Garlic- 5 pods
4. Whole Pepper - 10 Nos
5. Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
6. Tomato- 1 No
7. Tarmarind - one small gooseberry sized
8. Coriander leaves.
9. Mustard -1 tsp
10. Salt As required.
11. Oil - as required.

How to Prepare

1. Soak the whole coriander, jeera and pepper in water for 1 hour.
2. Grind the above mixture with chopped coriander, tomato ,tarmarind and  garlic.
3. Transfer the paste to a cooking bowl and add 3 glass water.
4. Add required salt and let it boil for 15 minutes.
5. Add oil to a pan , when it is hot add mustard , let it splutter.
6. Add the mustard to the cooked rasam .
7. Add the coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with rice and pappad.

Note : Add tarmarind and Chilly as per your taste if you require.

          Add 1 tbsp rasam powder if you require.

Fried Onion Chammandi

Ingredients. 

1. Onion (big sized) -  2 No
2. Red Chilly - 5 No
3. Curry Leaves-20 No
4. Tarmarind - one small gooseberry sized
5. Salt As required.
6. Oil - 3 tbsp

How to Prepare

Picture 1

1. Put 2 tbsp oil and fry the onions till it start turning brown.
2. Add curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes.Set the mixture aside.
3. Add 1 tbsp oil and fry the red chilly . Approximately 2 minutes.(Refer piture 1)
4. Mix the onion mixture , redchilly, tarmarind with required salt in a mixie.

Note : Make sure not to add water.