RAW PLANTAIN PUTTU / RAW PLANTAIN STIR FRY

Ingredients

Raw plantains - 2

Onions - 2 (chopped)

Green chillies - 4 (chopped)

Coconut - 1 cup (grated)

Cumin - 1 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp

Dry Red chillies - 3

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 Tbsps

Method

1. Pressure cook the raw plantains along with the skin for 2 whistles.

2. Remove from cooker , let it cool.

3. Peel the skin and grate the cooked plantains.

4. Keep aside.

5. Heat oil in a pan and temper cumin seeds, mustard seeds,

    dry red chillies and curry leaves.

6. Add the chopped onion and green chillies saute till onion

    turns transparent.

7. Now add the grated raw plantain and stir for 2 minutes in

    medium flame.

8. Finally add the grated coconut, salt to taste and mix well.

9. Serve hot with rice.

     

FISH CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK

Ingredients
Fish - 250 gms (medium size pieces)
Coconut - 2 cups ( to extract milk )
Coconut milk- 1 / 2 cup (1st extraction )
Coconut milk - 1  1 / 2 cups (2nd extraction )
Tomatoes - 2 (sliced )
Green chillies - 2 (sliced )
Turmeric powder - 1 / 2  Tsp
Chilli powder - 3 Tsp
Coriander powder - 1 Tsp
Thick tamarind pulp - 4 Tsps
Fenugreek seeds - 1 Tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Salt - to taste
Oil - 4 Tbsps

Grind To A Paste

Coconut - 2 Tbsps
Shallots - 10
Ginger - 1 Tsp (chopped)
Garlic cloves - 4 (chopped)
Cumin - 1 Tsp
Curry leaves - 5

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds.
2. When they turn to a brown colour, temper mustard seeds and
    curry leaves.
3. Add the ground paste and fry till raw smell is no more.
4. Add turmeric , chilli and coriander powders and saute.
5. Add the sliced tomatoes and green chillies.
6. Add the 2nd extraction of coconut milk and let it boil in medium
    flame.
7. Add salt to taste and the fish pieces.
8. Cover and cook for 5 minutes and now add the tamarind pulp.
9. Reduce the flame and let the curry simmer for 10 minutes.
10. Now add the 1st extraction of coconut milk and simmer for
      5 minutes.
11. Remove from stove and serve hot with rice.

JACKFRUIT FRITTERS

Ingredients

Firm ripe jackfruit bulbs  – 20

Oil – to fry

For Batter

Plain flour- 2 cups

Egg – 1

Sugar – 3 Tsps

Baking powder – 1 / 4 Tsp

Milk – as required

Yellow food colour – 1 / 2 Tsp

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients for batter to a smooth consistency.
2. Set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a pan.
4. Cut each jackfruit bulb into two.
5. Dip each  piece in the batter and deep fry in batches.
6. When golden brown remove from oil.
7. Drain excess oil and serve hot.

CHICKEN 65

Ingredients
Chicken - 500 gms (boneless)
To Marinate
Ingredients
Egg - 1
Ginger and Garlic paste - 3 Tbsps
Red chilli powder - 2 Tsps
Pepper powder - 1 Tbsp
Corn flour - 2 Tbsps
Soya sauce - 1 Tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1 Tsp
Orange food colour - a pinch
Lemon juice - 2 Tsps
Salt - to taste
Oil - to fry
Method
1. Clean chicken and chop into bite size pieces.
2. Marinate chicken pieces for 2 hours with all the ingredients above except oil.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces till crunchy.
To Garnish
Ingredients
Onion - 1
Coriander leaves - 2 Tbsps (chopped)
Mint leaves -1 Tbsp (chopped)
Fennel powder - 1 /4  Tsp
Green chilli - 1
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Salt - a pinch
Oil - 2 Tbsps
Method
1. Grind all the ingredients from onion to green chillies coarsely.
2. Heat oil in a pan .
3. Fry curry leaves, remove and keep aside.
4. Add the ground paste and fry well.
5. Toss the fried chicken and mix well.
6. Serve hot garnished with fried curry leaves.

BEETROOT HALWA

Ingredients

Beetroot – 3 cups (grated)

Milk – 500 ml (boiled)

Sugar – 2 cups

Cardamoms -4 (powdered)

Ghee -5 Tbsps

Method

1. Heat 2 Tbsps of ghee in a pan and add the grated beetroot.
2. Saute till raw smell is no more.
3. Add the boiled milk and cook the beetroot till soft.
4. Add the sugar and continue stirring.
5. Add the cardamom powder when the mixture forms a lump.
6. Add remaining ghee and continue stirring tll the mixture leaves the sides  of the pan.
7. To the halwa add half of the sliced almonds and mix well.
8. Transfer the halwa to a greased tray .
9. Garnish with remaining sliced almonds.

To Garnish

Almonds -15

Method

1. Blanch the almonds in warm water.
2. Peel the skin and slice.

Note : Adjust the sweetness to suit your palate.

SWEET PONGAL

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 1 cup

Green Gram Dhal (Moong Dhal) - 1/4 cup

Jaggery (powdered) - 1 1/2cups

Thick coconut milk- 1/2 cup

Cardamom (powdered) - 4

Cashewnuts - 15

Raisins -15

Coconut pieces (cubed) - 5Tbsps

Ghee – 1/4 cup

Method

1. Wash the dhal and rice separately and pressure cook along with 4 cups of water till soft.
2. Dissolve jaggery in 1/4 cup of water and strain.
3. To the cooked dhal and rice add the jaggery and continue to cook till the mixture is thick.
4. Add the coconut milk and cook for 2 – 3 minutes stirring all the way.
5. Finally just before removing from stove add 2 Tbsp of ghee and cardamom powder.
6. Heat the remaining ghee and fry the cashewnuts and raisins , add to the pongal and fry the coconut pieces in the remaining ghee.
7. Serve sweet pongal garnished with fried coconut pieces.

FRIED RICE / GHEE RICE

Ingredients
Basmathi rice - 2 cups
Cinnamon sticks - 2" piece
Cloves - 4
Cardamoms - 4
Onions - 2 (sliced)
Green chillies - 4 (sliced)
Ghee - 2 Tbsp
Hot water - 4 cups
Salt - to taste
Method
1. Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes and then drain liquid.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan .
3. Add the spices and the sliced onions.
4. Fry to a golden brown colour, add the sliced green chillies and  the drained rice.
5. Saute rice for 2 - 3 minutes and add the hot water and salt to taste.
6. Cook till rice is done.
Note: The amount of water used may vary with different varieties of rice.

To Garnish
Ingredients
Cashewnuts - 15
Raisins - 10
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Ghee - 2 Tbsp
Method
1. Heat ghee in a pan.
2. Add the cahewnuts and fry to a golden brown followed by raisins.
3. Add the sliced onion and fry to a brown colour.
4. Garnish cooked rice with fried cashewnuts, raisins and  onions.
5. Serve hot.

GINGER AND GARLIC THOKKU

Ingredients

Ginger – 250gms (chopped)

Garlic – 250gms (chopped)

Tamarind pulp – 1/4 cup

Chilli powder – 1 1/2 Tbsp

Asafoetida powder – 1/4 Tsp

Gingelly oil – 250 ml

Dry red chillies -5

Curry leaves – 3 sprigs

Jaggery– 1/4 cup (grated)  

Salt – to taste

Method

1.       Grind ginger and garlic to a smooth paste.

2.       Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan.

3.       Add the curry leaves and red chillies .

4.       To this add the ginger and  garlic paste .

5.       Keep stirring till raw smell is no more.

6.       At this stage add chilli powder , asafoetida powder and salt .

7.       Stir well and add the tamarind pulp and jaggery.

8.       When the oil floats on top remove from stove.

9.       Store in a dry pickle dish.

WATERMELON AND ORANGE COOLER

Ingredients

Watermelon chunks -4 cups

Oranges – 2

Sugar – to taste

Ice cubes –as desired

Method

1.       Remove the skin and seeds from watermelon and chop into chunks.

2.       Squeeze and extract the juice from oranges.

3.       In a blender put all the ingredients except the ice cubes and puree.

4.       Strain the juice and serve chilled with ice cubes.

JACKFRUIT HALWA

Ingredients

Jackfruit -1 medium size( 1kg fruit pulp)

Jaggery -750gms

Dry Ginger Powder -1Tbsp

Ghee-3Tbsp

Cardamoms -4(powdered)

Method

1. Remove seeds and grind the jackfruit flesh to a pulpy puree.
2. Keep a pan in the stove and add one small cup of water and the jaggery .
3. Once the jaggery dissolves in water completely, remove from stove and strain.
4. Transfer the jackfruit puree , jaggery syrup and dry ginger powder to a heavy bottomed vessel.
5. Keep stirring till the water completely evaporates and the mixture reaches halwa stage.
6. Finally add the cardamom powder and 2 Tbsp of ghee and mix well.
7. Grease a plate with remaining ghee.
8. Transfer halwa to the greased plate and cut into desired shapes after sometime.