Moong Dal Curry

Overview
A very simple dal curry which goes well with plain rice or chapati. Quick and easy recipe that can be served as a side dish. You can use different kind of lentils to make this dish. This is a healthy and nutritious dish since it is rich in protein too.

Dal Curry

Ingredients for Dal Curry

Ingredients
Split yellow Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Red onions - 1/2 cup - finely chopped
Plum Tomatoes finely chopped  - 1/2 cup
Garlic 4 - 5 cloves finely chopped
Cilantro finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Wash the dal in several changes of water and let it drain. After all water has drained dry roast the dal till the dal gets roasted and nutty aroma comes. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and cook in a pressure cooker till dal is cooked.
2. In a pan heat oil . when the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add cumin seeds to this followed by finely chopped red onions and garlic. Saute till onions start to turn slight brown. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder to this and mix well.
3. Saute few minutes and add the finely chopped tomatoes to this. Add salt mix well and cover lid and cook till tomatoes are cooked well.
4. Pour the cooked dal to this along with  one cup water and mix well. Bring this to a boil. Turn off heat and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with plain rice or chapati.

Dum Biryani ( Thalassery Dum Biryani)

Overview
Biryani is a traditional rice and meat dish made in all states of India. This is a very special dum biryani from the region of Thalassery Kerala. The main difference from this and other biryanis is that only green chilli's is used for this no red chilly powder or coriander powder. I have used beef to make this biryani but you can also use chicken or mutton.

Beef Dum Biryani

Ingredients - not shown in picture Golden Raisins and Cashews 

Ingredients
Beef two pounds cleaned and cut into big cubes
Basmati Rice  - 3 cups
Red Onions 4 large - thin sliced
Plum tomatoes - 4 finely chopped
Garlic - 8 - 10 coves finely chopped
Ginger 2 inch piece finely chopped
Green chillies - 8 - 10 finely chopped
( adjust the amount of green chillies to the level of spiciness you like)
Mint leaves finely chopped - 3/4 cup
Cilantro leaves - 3/4 cup
Lemon juice 4 tablespoons
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Fried Golden Raisins - 3 tablespoons
Cashews - 3 tablespoons
Salt to Taste
Oil - 6 tablespoons oil
Oil for frying onions

Whole Masala for Rice 
Cinnamon stick 2 pieces
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 4
Star Anise - 1 - 2
Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon

Biryani Masala
Cinnamon stick 2 pieces
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 4
Star Anise - 1 - 2
Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon
Shah Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon

Steps
1. Marinate the clean cut beef cubes with 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt to taste and lemon juice and keep in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Add oil in pan(about 1/4 cup)  and when oil gets hot add the thin sliced red onions to oil and  fry till it is golden brown. Drain oil and keep aside.
3. In a coffee grinder grind the biryani masala to a smooth powder and keep aside.
4. In a heavy bottom pan heat 3 tablespoon oil. When the oil gets hot add the finely chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies to it and saute few minutes. Add finely chopped tomatoes to this along with salt mix well and cover and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
5. Add the marinated beef cubes to this and mix well. Add mixture to a pressure cooker and cook till the beef is cooked well and soft. Transfer to a pan. Add the finely chopped cilantro and mint leaves and fried onions to this mix well and cook till the gravy is thick .
6. Add the prepared biryani masala to this and mix well. When the gravy is thick turn off heat.
7. Wash the rice in several turns of water and soak in water for about 30 minutes and drain wanter  and keep aside.
8. Add 3 tablespoon oil in a pot when the oil gets hot and whole spices for rice to this and saute well. Add the washed and drained rice to this along with 6 cups of water 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt.
9. When the rice boils. Reduce heat to low and cover with lid and cook for about 8 minutes till rice is cooked.  Uncover lid and fluff rice with fork and keep aside.
10. In a oven safe dish add the prepared beef to it as a first layer. Add the cooked rice over it. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in oven at 200 for about 30 minutes. Garnish with fried golden raisins,  cashews and chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with Indian Pickles and Raita.

Peanut Salad

Overview
This is a delicious and healthy salad made with boiled raw peanuts and fresh vegetables. It has the sour taste from the lemon juice and dried mango powder and the spiciness which compliments it from hot green chillies and red chilly powder. This can be served as an healthy snack or as an appetizer.

Peanut Salad

Peanut Salad Ingredients

Ingredients
Raw peanuts - 1 1/2 cups
Diced red onions - 3/4 cup
Diced tomatoes - 3/4 cup
Diced cucumbers - 3/4 cup
Finely chopped cilantro  - 3 tablespoons
Finely chopped green chillies - 3 - 4
Dried mango powder - 1 tablespoon
Dry roasted cumin seed powdered - 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoons

Steps
1. Boil raw peanuts with enough salt and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/2 cup water in covered pot till soft about 25 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Dry roast cumin seeds and powder and keep aside.
3. Dice the onions tomatoes and cucumber.
4. Mix all ingredients in bowl add salt as needed and serve immediately. Mix all ingredients only when you are ready to serve.

Sesame Garlic Noodles

Overview
This is an Asian flavored rice noodle dish mixed with vegetables. Garlic and sesame flavor enhances the taste of this dish.  Adjust the amount of green chillies and whole red chillies to spiciness you like. The vinegar adds a tangy flavor to this dish. Using brown rice noodles and Vegetables makes this dish quite healthy.

Sesame Garlic Noodles

Sesame Garlic Noodle Ingredients

Ingredients
Brown Rice noodles - 1 pound
Snow Peas cut lengthwise - 1 cup
Carrots cut lengthwise - 1 cup
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Red Onion thin sliced - 1 cup
Garlic 5 cloves thin sliced
Whole red chilly  - 4 - 6
Green chillies finely chopped 1 tablespoon
Apple cider Vinegar - 2 tablespoon
Brown sugar 1 tablespoon
Soya sauce - 3 tablespoons
Peanut Same sauce - 3 tablespoons
Sesame oil - 2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons

Steps
1. Boil a gallon of water in a pot. Add noodles cover lid and turn off heat. Keep noodles covered for about 10 minutes and drain.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. When oil is hot add the dried red chillies followed by thin sliced garlic and green chillies saute few minutes and add the thin slices red onions mix well.
3. Add the sliced snow peas carrots and green peas to this. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, soya sauce, peanut sesame sauce and mix well. Cover pan with lid and cook for about 3 minutes till the vegetables are just cooked.
4. Remove lid and add the prepared noodles to this and mix well. add the sesame oil to this and mix well.

Serve hot.

Fish Mappas

Overview
A traditional Kerala dish made with coconut milk. I have used whole butter fish here but any fleshy fish can be used for this dish. Usually fish mappas is served with appams which is the traditional Kerala pancakes made with rice. Fresh made coconut milk does  adds an extra level of taste to this dish.

Butter Fish Mappas

                             

Butter Fish Mappas Ingredients

Ingredients
Cleaned and scored butter fish  - 10
(Butter fish the size of your palm)
One large red onion thin sliced
Ginger 2 inch piece thin sliced
Garlic 4 cloves thin sliced
Green chilly split length wise - 4 - 6
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Plum tomatoes 3 cut into thick chunks length wise
Red Chilly powder - 2 - 3 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
White Vinegar - 1 - 2 tablespoons
One cup first coconut milk
Two cups second coconut milk
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 tablespoons

Steps
1. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the thin sliced onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves to this and saute till the onions are tender.
2. Add the red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric and black pepper powder to this and saute well for about 2 - 3 minutes.
3. Add the second coconut milk to this with about 1/2 cup water add salt mix well and bring this mixture to boil.
4. Add the cleaned fish along with tomatoes to this mix well and bring to boil.  Cook on low flame covered with lid for about 10 minutes till fish is cooked.
5. Remove lid add the vinegar mix well and bring to boil till the oil comes on top.
6. Add the fist coconut milk to this and bring to boil. Turn off heat

Serve hot with Appams or Bread.

Lemon Raisin Pickle

Overview

I love lemon pickle and like to try a variety of lemon pickles. The golden raisins adds a sweet flavor which balances the sour taste of lemons. This pickle goes well with any Indian Rice or bread. I kept the lemon pieces marinated in salt for 4 weeks which makes the lemon pieces tender before preparing the pickle.

Lemon Raisin Pickle

Lemon Raisin Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Lemons 8 cleaned and cut into pieces
Garlic 10 - 12 cloves
Ginger - 2 inch piece
Golden Raisins - 1/2 cup
Red Chilly powder - 4 - 5 tablespoons
Turmeric - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 4 - 5- tablespoons

Steps
1. Marinate the cleaned lemon pieces with salt and keep in a clean bottle. Shake the bottle everyday to mix all the juices. Keep it for about 4 weeks till the lemon pieces are soft.
2. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and ground to a smooth powder and keep aside.
3. In a blender grind the garlic, ginger and raisins with enough water to make a smooth paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the paste of garlic ginger and raisins to it and saute till oil separates for about 5 minutes. Add chilly powder and turmeric to this and saute till the raw flavor of chilly and turmeric is gone. Will take about  5  - 8 minutes.
8. Add the marinated tender lemon pieces with the juices to this and mix well. Add the fenugreek  and asafoetida powder to this and mix well till the lemon pieces are well coated. Turn of heat.
9. When the pickle is at to room temperature transfer to clean bottles and refrigerate.

Lemon Pickle in Jars ready to store and use.

Stuffed Okra

Overview
A simple way to have okra with mild Indian spices. This is a very common dish in North India and usually served with any Indian bread. You can use dried mango powder or lemon juice to add a slight sourness to the spices to add a burst of flavor for these okra.

Stuffed Okra

Stuffed Okra Ingredients

Okra's Stuffed before pan frying

Ingredients
Okra a pound
Garlic - 3 - 4 cloves
Ginger 1 inch piece
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Finely minced Cilantro - 2 tablespoon
Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder  - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons

Steps
1.  Wash and dry the okra. Trim the ends and slit one end from top to bottom without slitting it into two. Keep aside.
2. Grind the ginger garlic to a smooth paste. Mix it with lemon juice, one tablespoon oil, chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, I tablespoon minced cilantro and salt to make a smooth paste.
3. Stuff each okra with this paste  one at a time  and keep aside.
4. Heat two tables spoon in  flat pan and  when oil gets hot add one teaspoon cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder to this  and mix well. Add the okra to this and let it pan fry turning it over so that all sides are cooked. Serve sprinkled with remaining finely chopped cilantro.

Serve hot