Tri color Thoran

Overview
Thorans are signature Kerala dish. A simple side dish for rice with three vegetables - Beans, carrots and cabbage makes this very colorful. Thorans are made with all kinds of vegetables - cabbage, beans, carrots, beet root, spinach and the list can go on and on. For this dish I have cut the green beans french cut very thin so that it cooks evenly with the cabbage and grated carrots.

Vegetables for the Tri color Thoran

Tri color Thoran

Ingredients
Shredded cabbage - 2 cups
Carrots grated - 1 cup
Green bean french cut thin - 1 1/2 cup
Red Onion medium one thin sliced
Green chilly - 4 split length wise
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Urdu Dal - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Olive oil - 3 tablespoons
Coconut fresh grated - 1/4 cup - optional

Steps
1. Heat oil in  pan., When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. when the seeds splutters add the Urdu Dal . Saute till the Urdu Dal is light brown.

2. Add the Red onions, split green chillies and curry leaves to this and saute till the onions are soft. Add the grated coconuts (if using, I did not use coconut here, but typically all Thorans are made with fresh grated coconut) and saute few minutes.

3. Add prepared vegetables to this with salt and turmeric and mix well. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.  Remove lid and saute for few more minutes till all the liquid evaporates.

Serve hot with rice.

Pepper Chicken

Overview
This chicken curry has lots of pepper and goes well with Chapati and Rice. The spices are used in two different ways half ground for the gravy and half  to saute in oil. What gives this dish a very special southern flavor is the use of fennel seeds, curry leaves and of course Urdu Dal. Urdu Dal  sauteed in the oil does add a nutty flavor to this Chicken dish. You can use less whole red chilly and Black peppers if you don't like it too spicy.

Ingredients
1 whole( 4 - 5 pound) skinned and cut to small pieces
Red Onions - thin sliced - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2
Curry leaves - 4 sprigs
Chopped tomatoes - 1 cup
Olive Oil -  5 tablespoons
Urdu Dal - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Salt to taste

For the Spice paste
Garlic - 6 - 8 cloves
Ginger - 3 inch piece
Cumin - 1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 4 tablespoons
Whole Red chillies - 8 - 10
Black whole pepper - 1 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Steps
1. Heat one tablespoon of oil in pan and fry all the spices under the spice paste section other than the garlic, ginger and turmeric. When the spices are light brown grind it along with the ginger, garlic and turmeric to a smooth paste and keep aside.

2. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in a Pan. When the oil gets hot add the spices - Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds. When the spices are browned add the Urdu Dal to it saute till the Urdu Dal is light brown. Add the curry leaves and the chopped onions and saute till the onions are brown

3. Add the prepared spice pasted to the brown onions and saute till the oil separates. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt to this and cook well till oil separates.

4. Add the cleaned cut chicken pieces to this and mix well. Cook covered for about 20 - 25 minutes. Remove lid and simmer till the gravy thicken.

Serve hot with Rice or Chapati.

Idli (Steamed Rice Cakes)

Overview
Idlis are the most popular traditional south Indian breakfast food. Usually eaten with coconut chutney and Sambhar. Steamed fluffy white rice cakes are made with fermented rice and lentil(Urdu Dal) . This is very nutritious and delicious. Idili's are made in special mould and steamed.

South Indian Breakfast Idli with Sambhar & Chutney

Ingredients
Long grain rice - 3 cups
Urdu Dal - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil to grease the idli mould

Steps
1. Wash the rice and Urdu Dal separately and soak over night

2. Grin to a Urdu Dal to a smooth paste with water .Rice can be coarsely ground not too smooth. The batter should be little thicker than the pancake mix. Mix salt and let it ferment overnight.

3. Grease the idli moulds with oil and pour the batter into the moulds and steam for about 20 minutes.

4. Remove from moulds and serve with Sambhar and Coconut chutney

Idli Mould - Makes 16 idlis at a time

Vada with Chutney

Overview
Fritters called Vada made with all kinds of lentils are very common in India. This one is made with Urdu Dal is a very common one in Kerala. This goes very well with coconut chutney. Idli's and Vada is a very common South Indian Breakfast combination. It can be served as an appetizer too

Ingredients
Two cups Urdu Dal(Black Lentils) soaked
Ginger 1 inch finely chopped
Curry leaves 3 sprigs finely chopped
Green chill 3 finely chopped
Red onion 1/2 finely chopped
Fresh crushed Black pepper 1/4 teaspoons
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Coconut chutney
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
ginger 1/4 inch piece
shallots 2
Green chilly 2 - 3
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup chopped

Grind the above ingredients for chutney in a blender with warm water and salt to a smooth paste.

Garnish for chutney
Olive oil 2- tablespoons
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Whole dry red chilly  2 - cut into pieces

Heat oil in a pan and when the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter add the red chilly pieces and curry leaves and mic well. turn off the heat and add this to the coconut chutney.

Steps
1. Soak the Dal in plenty of water for 3 - 4 hours. Drain and grind in a food processor with out much water. If you add water and grind in a blender the Vada would soak up too much oil. Make a smooth paste and keep aside

2. Add chopped onions, green chilly, Curry leaves, pepper and salt to this and mix well.

3. Heat oil in pan to deep fry the Vadas.

4. Dip your hands in water take a small ball of the dough you made the size of a lime and make a hole in the center to shape it as a vada and carefully put it in the hot oil to fry.

5. Fry both sides till golden brown and serve hot with Coconut Chutney

Mango Ginger Pickle

Overview
Mango ginger as the name tells has the aroma of fresh raw mango. I never had mango ginger for a long time. Yesterday my friend gave me some from her backyard. I definitely had to make this pickle so took half of  it make this pickle and am planning to plant the remaining.  It is very simple pickle and has very less ingredients. As it ages the flavors get better.

Ingredients for Mango Ginger pickle

Mango ginger pickle  next to my spice box

Ingredients
Fresh mango ginger - cleaned peeled and thin sliced - 1 cup
Juice of one big lemon
Green chillies - 6 -8 finely chopped
Curry leaves 4 sprigs
Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tablespoons

Steps
1. Mix the sliced mango ginger with salt chopped green chillies and lemon juice and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan. When the oil gets hot add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter add the curry leaves and asafoetida powder. Turn off the heat

3. Add the oil mixture to the prepared mango ginger. Mix well

Chicken Stir Fry

Overview
Chicken breast stir fried with green and red peppers makes this dish very colorful. I used taco seasoning with the chicken and serve on whole wheat wraps with guacamole, cilantro and sour cream.

Ingredients
Boneless Chicken breast - 2 pounds
Taco seasoning - 2 packets( spicy or mild)
Garlic 6 cloves finely chopped
Large green pepper sliced to strips
Large red pepper sliced to strips
Large red onions - 2 thin sliced
Olive oil - 5 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps

1. Make long thin strips of the chicken breast and keep aside

2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large pan. When the oil gets hot add the chopped garlic to it. saute the garlic for few minutes and then add the chicken strips to this along with the taco seasoning. Stir well till the chicken breasts are cooked.

3. In another pan  add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil gets hot add the sliced green and red peppers and onions to this. Saute till the pepper are just done. Do not over cook, the peppers should be still crunchy.

4. Mix the cooked chicken to this and stir well. Turn off heat.

Serve with wraps topped with Guacamole, cilantro and sour cream

Guacamole

Overview
This is a simple and easy guacamole recipe. Fresh ripe avocado is mixed with tomatoes, red onions, cilantro and green chilly. The amount of green chilly can be adjusted according to your taste. Guacamole can be used with chips or chicken wraps.

Ingredients
1 large ripe has avocado or 3 small ones
Cherry tomatoes - 10 - finely chopped
Cilantro a handful finely chopped
Red onion 1/2 medium one finely chopped
Green chilly - finely chopped
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Squeeze the juice out of one large lemon and keep aside

2. Seed the Avocado and scoop out the flesh. Chop finely and transfer to a serving bowl.

3. Add lemon juice, salt, chopped green chilly and chopped cilantro. Add the chopped tomatoes and red onions to this too. Mix well and serve

Can be served with chicken wraps and fajitas