Beetroot Kichadi

Overview
A very simple and easy to make dish served in Kerala for special occasions especially for Onam. Beetroot mixed with yogurt and grated coconut gives a nice pink color to this dish. The only cooking time needed for this is to cook the beetroot.

Beetroot Kichadi

Beetroot Kichadi Ingredients

Ingredients
Beetroot 2 small ones
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Plain yogurt - 1 cup
Green chilly - 6 - 8
Mustard seeds -1  teaspoon
Whole red chillies - 3 - 4 broken int pieces
Curry leaves - 2  sprigs
Oil - 2 tablespoon

Steps
1. Peel 2 small beet roots, clean and cut into half and cook with 1/2 cup water on medium flame till it is soft. Grate the cooked beet root and keep aside should be about one cup.
2. Grate the coconut with the green chillies with just enough water to make a smooth paste.
3. Mix the smooth ground coconut to the beetroot.
4. Whisk the thick plain yogurt and add this to the beetroot too. Add salt as needed. Mix well and keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a pan  and when oil is hot add the mustard seeds when it splutters and the broken pieces of red chillies and curry leaves. Turn off heat. Pour this over the prepared curry.

Serve with rice.

Snake Gourd with Dry Prawns (Padavalanga Chemmeen Curry)

Overview
Snake gourd grows on vines with the vegetable hanging down which grows from one to five feet in length hence the name snake gourd. Snake gourd are rich in nutrients and minerals so is very good for you. This is a very traditional dish from Kerala made with snake gourd and dry prawns. You can use fresh prawns too for this dish. The fresh fried shallots and curry leaves that you add in the end to this curry adds an extra flavor to this dish.

Snake Gourd with Dry Prawns Curry

Ingredients

Ingredients
Snake gourd cleaned and cut pieces - 2 cups
Dry Prawns - 1 cup
Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
Shallots thin sliced - 1 cup
Ginger thin sliced - 2 inch piece
Green chilly split in centre - 8 - 10
Curry leaves - 4 sprigs
Red Chilly powder - 2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoon

Steps
1. Dry roast the cleaned dry prawns till it is crispy and keep aside.
2. Grind the coconut to a smooth paste and keep aside.
3. Keep aside 1/4 cup sliced shallots and 2 sprigs curry leaves to garnish in oil at end.
4. Mix the cleaned sliced snake gourd pieces with all of the remaining ingredients ( the dry roasted prawns should be added later)  and 1/2 cup water and cook in heavy bottom pan covered till it is cooked.
5. Add the dry roasted prawns and the ground coconut paste along with half cup water to this and mix well and bring this to a boil.  The gravy should be thick in consistency.
6. Once the mixture boils turn off heat and keep aside.
7. In another pan heat the oil and fry the thin sliced shallots till golden brown. Add the curry leaves and pour this over the prepared curry.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Chakkakurru Mezhakapurratti ( Stir fried Jack Fruit Seeds)

Overview
I got fresh jack fruit from an Indian store which was a very special treat to get in U.S. I saved the seeds and enjoyed making this special Jack fruit seed stir fry. This was a very special treat to have  after a long time. The sweet taste of fresh jack fruit mixed with the garlic and red pepper flakes made this dish very unique and delicious. A very simple and easy dish to make with very few ingredients.

Jackfruit Stir Fried

Ingredients
Jack fruit seed cleaned and cut length wise - 2 cups
One small red onion sliced length wise
Garlic cloves 8 - 10 thin sliced length wise
Red crushed pepper flakes - 1 - 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves 2 - 3 sprigs
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Coconut oil or vegetable oil - 2 tablespoon

Steps
1. Place the cleaned cut jack fruit seeds in a pan with 1/2 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt and cook on  low flake till the jack fruit seeds are cooked and soft. Turn off heat and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. When oil is hot add the thin sliced onions and garlic and saute till the onions are light brown. Add  remaining turmeric powder and crushed red pepper flakes and saute few minutes. Add the curry leaves and saute well.
3. Add the cooked jack fruit seeds to this and mix well. Mix well till all the water is evaporated and it is dry.

Serve hot with plain rice or chapati.

Shrimp Biryani

Overview
Biryani is a very common rice dish we find throughout India served with meat or seafood. Here I have used shrimp. Juicy shrimp mixed with the fragrant basmati rice and spices makes a very delicious dish. I have used whole spices which adds a special aroma to this biryani.

Shrimp Biryani

Ingredients for Shrimp Biryani

Ingredients
Shrimp(Large size) 2 pounds
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Red Onions - 3 large
Plum tomatoes - 2
Cilantro chopped 3/4 cup
Mint chopped - 3/4 cup
Garlic - 10 cloves
Ginger 2 inch piece
Lemon - 1
Coriander powder - 2 tablespoon
Chilly powder - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon 2 inch piece - 2,
Cardamom  - 4,
Cloves 6,
Star anise - 2
Fennel seeds - 2 teaspoon
Whole pepper corn - 1 teaspoon
Cashews - 10
Raisins - 3 tablespoons
Oil - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste


Steps
1. Devein the shrimp clean and keep aside.
2. Grind the garlic and ginger to a smooth paste.
3. Marinate the shrimp with ginger, garlic paste, the juice of half lemon, chopped cilantro, chopped mint and salt . Keep refrigerated for minimum one hour.
4. Thin slice the red onions and tomatoes and keep aside in separate plates.
5. Wash the rice several times till the water is clear. Soak rice in water for about 1 hour.
6. Heat about 4 - 5 tablespoons of oil in  pan. When the oil is hot  add half of the whole garam Masala( one 2 inch piece cinnamon, cardamom 2, cloves 3, star anise 1, fennel seeds 1 teaspoon, pepper corn 1/2 teaspoon) to the oil and Fry.
7. Add 2/3 of the sliced onions to this and saute till the onions turn light brown, Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder and red chilly powder to this and saute well.
8. Add the sliced tomatoes to this with a little salt mix well and cover pan with lid and cook till the tomatoes are cooked well  and oil separates.
9. Add the marinated shrimp to this. Mix well and cover pan with lid and look till the shrimp is cooked(do not overcook the shrimp). Remove lid and cook till the gravy is thick. Turn off heat and keep aside
10. Heat about 1/4 cup oil in a pan and fry the cashews first then the raisins, drain oil and keep these aside. In the same oil fry 1/3 of the sliced onions and fry the onions till it is golden brown. drain oil and keep aside.
11. Take another pan to cook the rice. Drain the water from rice and keep aside. In the pan heat 4 tablespoon in a pan. When the oil is hot  add half of the whole garam masala( one 2 inch piece cinnamon, cardamom 2, cloves 3, star anise 1, fennel seeds 1 teaspoon, pepper corn 1/2 teaspoon) to the oil and fry.
12. Add the drained rice to this and mix well. Add 4 cups of water the juice of half lemon and salt as seeded and mix well and bring this to a boil. Lower the heat, cover pan and cook for about 8 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and keep aside.
13. Layer biryani in a dish. first with cooked rice them the shrimp with gravy sprinkle fried onions, cashew and raisins followed by finely chopped cilantro and mint. Add one more layer of rice and garnish on top with fried cashews, raisins, cilantro, mint and fried onions.

Serve hot with raita and pickle

Spicy Corn on the Cob

Overview
Delicious Corn on the Cobb to have during summer when we get plenty of fresh corn on the cob. Spicy and sour taste from lemon adds extra flavor to the sweet fresh taste of corn. You can boil the fresh corn on cob or even grill it. Grilling the corn will add a extra smokey flavor.

Spicy Corn on the Cob

Ingredients
Corn on the Cobb  - 3
Lemon or lime - 1
Black salt powder  - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon

Steps
1. Mix the black salt and red chilly powder and keep aside.
2. Clean the corn on the cob removing the husk and hair and cook in boiling hot water for about 15 minutes till corn is cooked well.
3. Drain the water and pick the corn and cob in a clean plate.
4. Cut the lemon or lime in half. Dip the lime in the black salt and chilly powder and press and rub the corn with the lime.

Serve hot.

Red Swiss Chard and Dal

Overview
A delicious and nutritious side dish that goes well with any Indian bread or rice. Ground fresh coconut with mild spices adds a very distinctive aroma and flavor to this dish. Swiss Chard is know to be a nutritional powerhouse vegetable so use it whenever you can.

Red Swiss Chard with Dal

Ingredients

Ingredients
Swiss chard one bunch cleaned and chopped (about 2 cups)
Dal( Sambar Dal or split yellow peas) - cooked - 1 cup
Plum tomatoes - 2 finely chopped
Fresh grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Red chilly powder - 1 - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Whole dry red chillies - 4 - 6
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Oil 2 tablespoons

Steps
1. Add Finely chopped tomatoes to cooked Dal with 1 cup water and cooked till the tomatoes and cooked and soft.
2. Add chopped Swiss chard , salt and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder  mix well and cook for  few minutes till the Swiss chard stems are soft.
3. Grind the coconut with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1/4 cup water to a smooth paste and add this to the cooked Dal and Swiss chard.  Mix well and bring this to a boil. Turn off heat and keep aside.
4. In another pan heat 2 tablespoon oil. When oil is hot add mustard seeds and let it splutter add the funugreek seeds , cumin seeds and whole red chillies( broken into pieces)  and curry leaves to the oil. Mix well and pour this mixture to the prepared Dal curry.

Serve hot. Enjoy.

Mixed Vegetable Sabji

Overview
A very colorful and nutritious dish which has a combination of different vegetables. It is a dry dish that goes well with any Indian bread or rice. You can use your choice of vegetables. Here I have used Eggplant, okra, and three different colors of peppers which makes it very colorful.

Mixed Vegetable Sabji

Mixed Vegetable Sabji Ingredients

Ingredients
Eggplant - 2 medium size round ones cut length wise
Okra - 8 - 10 cut into half
Red pepper  - 1/4 cut into strips
Yellow pepper - 1/4 cup cut into strips
Orange pepper - 1/4 cup cut into strips
Red onion one medium size cut into strips
Garlic cloves - 6 thin sliced
Plum Tomatoes  2 cut into slices
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Black pepper powder - 1 teaspoon
Red Chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Fennel powder - 1 teaspoon
Oil 3 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Clean and cut all the vegetables almost the same size and keep aside. Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan and saute the okra separate till brown and keep aside.
2. In another pan heat 3 tablespoon oil in a pan. When  the oil is hot add the sliced onions and garlic to it and saute till onions turn brown.
3. Add the dry spice powders turmeric, chilly,  coriander, pepper  and fennel to this and saute well. Add the sliced tomatoes and salt and mix well.  Add all the sliced vegetables to this  and mix well .
4. Cover pan with lid and cook stirring occasionally till the vegetables are cooked. Add the fried okra pieces to this and mix well till the gravy coats the vegetables and it is dry.

Serve hot.