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

Raw Turmeric Pickle

Overview
Raw Turmeric pickle has lot of medicinal values and is used more in North India. As this pickle ages all the flavors get into the julienne turmeric slices  and enhances the pickles taste. So let this pickle sit for at least a week before using it. This pickle is usually made in mustard oil but I have used vegetable oil here.

Raw Turmeric Pickle

Raw Turmeric Pickle Ingredients

Ingredients
Julienne raw turmeric - 1 cup
Lemon juice - Juice of one large lemon
Fennel seeds - 2 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon
Red Chilly powder - 2 tablespoons
Asafoetida powder- 1 teaspoon
Vegetable oil  - 4 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Peel the raw turmeric and then wash on water and pat dry. Cut the turmeric root in 2 inch julienne strips. Marinate the julienne raw turmeric slices in salt and lemon juice and keep in refrigerator for 2 - 3 days  mixing it everyday.
2. Coarsely grind the fennel seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and mix it with the red chilly powder and asafoetida powder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in pan. When the oil gets hot turn the heat off. Add all the spice powder to this. Mix well and then add the raw turmeric slices marinated in lemon juice and salt. Mix well and add salt as needed.
4. Cool to room temperature and store in a clean jar.

Serve as a condiment with any rice or Indian bread.

Asparagus Stir fry

Overview
A quick and easy way to enjoy Asparagus. Crisp Asparagus mixed with the garlic and red pepper flakes adds nice flavor to this dish. My family loves Asparagus and loves this dish.

Asparagus Stir Fry

Ingredients
Fresh Asparagus - 1 pound trimmed and cut into two
Red onions thin sliced - 1 small
Garlic - 4 - 5 clones thin sliced
Red pepper flakes - 1 - 2 teaspoon
Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Clean the Asparagus and trim the woody ends and cut into two pieces and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a saute pan.
2. When the oil is hot add the thin sliced onions and garlic. Saute till onions are light brown.
3. Add the turmeric powder and red pepper flakes to this and saute till the red flakes are browned.
4. Add the prepared Asparagus to this with salt. Mix well and cook on high flame till the asparagus is crisp and cooked. Should take just 3 - 4 minutes. Do not over cook.

Serve hot as a side dish.

Pork Piralan (Pork Roast)

Overview
A traditional Kerala Pork dish. There are many different ways to make this dish this is my version. A thick gravy coats the tender pork pieces to make this a delicious dish. A little bit of fenugreek seeds roasted and powdered adds a distinctive aroma and taste to this dish.

Pork Piralen

Pork Piralen Ingredients

Ingredients
Pork cut into cubes - 1 1/2 pounds
Finely chopped red onions - 1 1/2 cups
Ginger 2 inch finely chopped
Garlic about 10 - 12 cloves finely chopped
Green chilly - 4 - 6 split in center
Curry leaves 3 - 4 sprigs
Red Chilly powder -  2  teaspoons
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Oil  - 3 tablespoons
Salt to taste

Steps
1. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds, powder it and keep it aside.
3. Heat oil in  heavy bottom pan. When oil gets hot add the finely chopped onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves.
4. Saute till the onions are light brown.
5. Add the red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and fenugreek powder to the light brown onions. stir for few minutes till the spice powder are browned.
6. Add the cleaned cubes pork along with salt and stir well.
7. Cover pan with lid and cook on slow flame for about 45 minutes stirring occasionally till the pork is cooked and tender.
8. Remove lid and cook for few more minutes till the gravy is thickened.

Serve hot with Rice or any Indian Bread.