Aviyal

Aviyal is a dish that has a unique place in a typical kerala cuisine as well as in Tamil cuisine. It is a thick mixture of vegetables,curd and coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. Aviyal is considered an essential part of the sadhya.

Ingredients:
2 cup of vegetables like
Cucumber
Snake gourd(Padavalanga)
Long runner beans(Achinga/Payar)
Drumsticks(Muringakkai) – 3 nos
Elephant yam(Chena)
Carrots
Raw banana(Paccha Ethakkai)
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Salt – As reqd
Curry leaves – A few
Sour curd – ¼ cup
Coconut – 1 no
Green chillies – 5
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Small onions(Kunjulli) – 6 nos
Coconut oil – 4 tbsp

Method:
1)Cut all the vegetables in the same length, about 1 – 1 1/2 “ pieces.
2)Place them along with turmeric powder,green chillies,small onions,salt and sufficient water in a vessel and keep it on fire.:- Do not add too much water as it might overcook the vegs and also might take too much time to become dry.
3)Cover and allow it to cook.
4)Grind together grated coconut, cumin seeds and curd into a coarse form.
5)When the vegs are cooked and the water starts to evaporate, add the coconut mixture and mix well.
6)Allow all the water to get evaporated.
7)When done, add the coconut oil and curry leaves and mix well.
8)Remove from flame and cover the vessel with a lid.

Mathi Peera(Kerala style Sardine )

Its is a dry kerala dish.Mathi is one of my favourate fish..Mostily the big one.There are plenty of sardines health benefits .An added advantage of sardines is that they are low in calories, which means, they can be always included in a weight control diet. Intake of sardines can help to increase consumption of omega 3 fatty acids which boosts metabolic rate, necessary for weight loss.

Ingredients:
Sardine – 5 nos
Shallots/pearlonion – 6 nos
Green Chilly - 4 nos
Finely chopped Ginger- 3/4 tsp
Finely chopped Garlic- 3/4 tsp
Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Cumin seed -1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Fish tamarind (Kudampuli) -3-4
Salt to taste
Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves -1 stem

Preparation Method:

1.the fish into small pieces.
2.Cook the fish along with Salt,Kudampuli and Turmeric Powder in little water.
3.Cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook .
4.Mix the Grated coconut, Chilly Powder,Cumin seed ,sliced green chilly and pearl onion.
Squeeze this mixture very well with hand or u can use grinder,Note that it should not be grind smoothily.
5.When the fish is cooked well,add this coconut mix and mix well.Cook for 5-7 minutes.Water should be fulliy dried like thoran.
6.Add Curry leaves and Coconut Oil and mix well.

Instant Noodles with Vegetables and Egg

Ingredients
Instant Noodles – 2 packets (Any flavor)
Finely Diced Carrots – 1 large
Frozen green peas -some
Finely Diced Onions – 1 small
Oil – 1 tbsp
Tomato Sauce – 2 tbsp
Egg – 1
Salt – to taste
Pepper – 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method

1.Finely slice onions and carrots. In a saucepan, heat half the amount of water required for cooking the noodles. (Be careful with the amount of water. If you add too much water, the noodles will become mushy.)

2.Add carrots,peas and onions to the saucepan along with the instant noodle seasonings. Cook the vegetables for around 5 minutes. Add the noodles to the pan and continue cooking on medium heat. When the noodles become 3/4th cooked, add the tomato sauce and noodles masala. Mix everything and continue cooking until all water has evaporated. Keep aside.

3.Beat the egg with salt and pepper. Heat oil in another non stick pan and scramble the egg nicely. Add the cooked noodles and veggies to this pan and mix everything well. Remove from heat after 2 minutes.

Wheat Rice Flour Dosa

This is a quick and easy also tasty dosa.My hubby like wheat dosa.But i dont like the taste much,so i always add some rice floor to it.They are perfect for a lazy weekend breakfast. I make them more often than the normal dosas as I just have to mix flours and its ready !And healthy too.

Ingredients :
One cup of Whole wheat flour
One cup of Rice Flour
1 finely chopped onions(optional)
Grated Coconut 1/2 cup
Salt and
Oil


1. Mix all the ingredients with water in a bowl until the batter reaches a smooth consistency.
2. Place a non stick pan and spread some oil and cook each dosa untile done.Serve hot with any chutney of your choice !

Unakka Chemmeen Manga Chammanthi

My mom from kannur,she send me some Unakka Chemmeen and mango.So when i saw both things i remember about my school day.When she feels lazy she makes me some chammanthi and rice.When its packed in vazhayilla(Banana leaf) a great taste cames out...Wow i just cant say about it...Iam sure while seeing this u will surily remember about ur childhood or u will remember u moms chammanthi..

Ingredients:
Dried prawns/unakka chemmeen 1/2 cup
Fresh grated coconuts 1 cup
Shallots/small onion,thinly sliced 3
Dry red chillies 8(or according to your taste)
Mango 1 medium size
Salt to taste

Method:

1.In a pan fry the dried prawns along with dry red chillies for 2-3 minutes.

2.Transfer this to smallest jar of a mixer,and grind to a fine paste,and transfer to a bowel.

3.Now graind mango and shallots,and add grated coconut along with prawns dry chilies.And add some salt to taste.When all the ingrediants is mixed well transfer to a bowel by shaping to a ball shape with the help of your palms..

4.Serve with kanji or kuthari choru or any type of rice.

Aloo(Potato) Matar(Peas)

Ingredients:
Potatoes (Aloo) - 1
Peas dry(Mutter) - 1 Cups(soaked in water overnight)
Onions - 1 big
Carrot -Half of one
Ginger - 1 tsp
Green chillies -3
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coconut -1/4 cup
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Oil or Ghee - 6 tbsp
Curry leaves -hand full
Coriander Leaves to garnish - as required

Method:
1.Peel and chop the potatoes,carrot and onions into small cubes. Add this with peas by adding green chillies,turmeric powder and red chilly powder.Cook untile done.

2.Now graind the coconut to a fine paste.Now add this to cooked peas.

3.Now add garam masala,cumin powder and let it boil for 10 minutes.

4.Remove from fire.

5.Heat a pan with oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves,add this to cooked peas.
6.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapatis

Kadala Curry

Ingredients:
Black chickpeas/kadala -3/4 cup
Soaked over night.
Mustard -1 tsp
Curry leaves -handful
Onions -2 sliced
Ginger -2 tsp
Garlic -2 cloves
Green chillies -3
Black pepper powder -3/4 tsp
Red chilli powder -1/2 tsp
Termeric powder -1/2 tsp
Corindar powder -1 tsp
Chicken masala -3/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Coconut -1/2 cup grated

Method:

1.Roast all the masala powder to a brown colour and add to kadala.Now add onion,garlic,ginger and green chillies.Pressure cook it 15 - 20 minutes or till it get soft.

2.Graind the coconut by adding cumin seeds to a fine paste.

3.Now add this to cooked kadala.

4.Cook for 5 - 10 minutes.

5.Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when they splutter add curry leaves.Now add this to kadala curry.Garnish with corindar leaves.