CHANA MASALA

Ingriedients:


1 Cup Chana
3 tablespoons oil
Pinch of asafetida
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon gram flour
1 large tomato
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic Paste
1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chily powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
Capsicum in different colors: 1 Small Piece( to make the dish colorful)

Soak chick peas in water for overnight. Keep the chana in the pressure cooker and cook until its tender
Blend the tomatoes, green chilies and ginger to make a puree.Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds.After the cumin seeds crack, add the gram flour and stir-fry for a minute.Add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chily powder and cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat.
The mixture will start leaving the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity.Add the cooked chana and a half cup of water and let it cook for 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat, covered.Press the chana with a spatula so they soften. Add the garam masala and cilantro. Let it cook for another minute.Garnish with different colour capsicum

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MURUKKU

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Ingredients: 3 cups rice flour 3 tsp. Urad dal flour 2 tsp. melted butter 1/4-1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder Salt to taste

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Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.Adding water little by little, form a stiff dough. use plastic sheet lightly brushed with oil/butter. Take a small amount of dough and place it inside the  murukku maker.Press the dough on the plastic sheet and you will find the dough coming out shaped as per the one star attachment. Slightly rotate the maker round and round until you make a circle.that you would have to remove it from the plastic to your hands and then drop it into the hot oil.Now fry them until done - You can make it red, light brown or golden as per preference.

Courtesy to Chef In you

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FRIED RICE

Ingredients:
2 cups Rice
3 tbsp Oil
100 gms Beans Finely Chopped
2 Carrot Finely Chopped
1 Onion Sliced
100 gms cauliflower Finely Chopped
Red,Green and Yellow Capsicum (Small Pieces) Finely Chopped
2-3 Green Chilies cut lenghtwise
1 tsp Garlic Finely Chopped
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
Salt & pepper to taste

Pick, wash and soak the rice in enough water for 10-15 minutes and drain.Boil water, add rice and little salt with 1/2 tsp oil.Cook uncovered on low heat till rice is tender.Take care not to overcook the rice. Each grain of rice should be separate.When rice is done, drain and add soom cold water and drain again using a large seive and set aside.Heat oil in a pan and stir fry all the chopped vegetables.Cook for 3-4 minutes.Take care that vegetables are not overdone, they should be crisp.Mix salt and pepper to taste.Add the cooked rice and mix well. Now mix the soya sauce to it.Cook the fried rice for 2-3 minutes and serve hot.

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MASALA PIDI

Masala Pidi - A traditional Trichur Dish!!!!!


Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup
Grated Coconut1/4 cup
Jeera 1/2 tsp

Mix the rice flour,Grated Coconut and Jeera with Boiled Water.When it is cooled and knead it into a soft dough.Make small balls out of this and Keep Aside

For Masala :

Coriander Seeds-2 table spoon
Pepper-1tsp
Red Chilli-3
Jeera -1/2 tsp
Grated Coconut-1/4 Cup

In a pan add Coriander Seed ,Pepper ,Red Chilli and Jeera and saute well till aroma comes.In another pan add Grated Coconut and saute well till  it turns to golden brown .Grind all the ingriedients together and make a paste.Add water to this paste , put the balls into this and cook well in a kadai...

Heat Oil in a pan Splutter Mustard seeds ,red chilly and curry leaves and add this to above cooked Masala Pidi

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PAYAR ILA THORAN ( LONG BEANS LEAVES STIR FRY)

Ingredients:

Tender leaves of long beans – 5 cups
Shallots 1/4 Cup
Coconut – ½ cup
Red chilly – 3
Turmeric power – ¼ tea spoon
Salt – adjust to taste
Mustard seeds – 1 tea spoon
Coconut oil – 2 table spoon

Chop the long beans leaves into tiny pieces. Heat oil in a vessel and add mustard seeds and red chillies into that to splutter. Add grated Coconut with Shallots saute well till it turns light brown. Add chopped leaves of long beans , salt,turmeric powder and stir well.  close the vessel with a lid and heat. When the leaves are cooked stop heating and stir well. 

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MUSHROOM ROAST

Mushroom.... Known as the meat of the vegetable world !!!!.....Mushroom is low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin C, Folate, Iron, Zinc and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin D, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Selenium (source :http://nutritiondata.self.com)

Ingredients:

Button Mushroom 150 gm

Onion - 2

Mustard seeds

Curry leaves

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp

Garam masala 1/2 Tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 Tsp

Pepper powder 1/2 Tsp

Chilly Powder 2 Tsp

Coconut Milk 3 Table Spoon

Salt

Oil

Step 1:  Cook Mushroom with Turmeric powder, Pepper Powder and chilly powder and keep aside
Step 2:  Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds and put the curry leaves
Step 3:  Add sliced onion and  ginger garlic paste saute till it turns to brown
Step 4:  Add Turmeric powder, Chilly powder, garam masala and pepper powder
Step 5:  Stir it for a few minutes and add the cooked mushroom (without water)
Step 6:  Close the pan with a lid and cook in low flame
Step 7:  Add the coconut milk and stir gently for few minutes and make it dry.
Step 8:  Serve and have with chappati /Rice

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ALMOND CHOCOLATE LADDU

Almonds are one of the most nutritious of all nuts !!...Almonds are rich in the vitamins and minerals that help to build a healthy heart, especially vitamin E. So we decided to prepare some laddu using almond...Laddu comes from the Sanskrit word transliterated as ladduka or lattika meaning a small ball. We searched in many blogs and found the recipe in blog of Ms.Sangi....thank you Ms. Sangi...

Ingredients:
 Whole almonds:150gm
Hershey's milk chocolate chips:30gm
Condensed Milk :40gm
Milk:3tsp
Freshly grated coconut:50gm

Toast the almonds for about 3-4minutes until the skins begin to crackle.Cool a bit and then dry grind to a fine powder.
Put the almond flour into a mixing bowl.Add grated coconut and crush well by hand,keep aside.
Combine chocolate chips,condensed milk, and milk in a non stick saucepan.
Place on low flame and stir constantly until the chocolate melts.
Pour the almond mixture into the pan and mix well.
When cool enough to handle, mix again by hand and make lemon sized Laddus.

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WHEAT PAROTTA

Parotta, the favorite, unhealthy, bread of Kerla !!!!


Mainly, Maida and oil make parotta unhealthy.  that's why we used Wheat flour instead of maida to preapre this!!  Of course,  we have to compromise for the taste to a certain extend....but still it is as good as Chapatti.


Ingredients:


2 cup Wheat Flour

1 tspSalt

1/2 cupWater (approx)

2 tspOil (for dough making)
1/4 cupOil (for Kneading)

1/4 cupOil (for shapping)

Mix wheat flour,  salt, 2tsp of oil and water. Knead to make a soft dough, like how we make for chappattis and puris. Put it in a bowl and close it with a plate, let it stay for 30 minutes.Now press the dough and knead it by slowly adding oil (1/4 cup) little by little. Repeat the process until the dough becomes very soft (20 minutes approx). Now make equal portions  and put them under a damp cloth or kitchen towel, this helps it from becoming dry.Take one portion and roll it as much as you can with a rolling pin, the funny part is, you can watch as you stretch, it rolls back!!  and stretch it to paper thin size. It might tear in some areas… thats ok. Stretch using your hands or use the rolling pin, oil makes the work easier.  Keep a pan hot and ready while you do the last stretch. Flame should be on meduim high throughout the frying process. Now take one portion of the shaped dough and slightly roll it lenthwise and widthwise with a rolling pin, just one side only. The other side should be the firm on the bottom do not flip while doing this. Transfer it straight to the pan and let cook for few minutes, now flip on the other side and you will see it becoming fluffy, flip one more time. Repeat the whole process for each parotta and store them back under the damp towel. 

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APPLE JAM

Ingredients:

Apple:3 Nos ,peeled and chopped
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Lemon juice - 2tbsp

Mix sugar and chopped apples in a microwave bowl. microwave it for 5 minutes till apples are softened. Blend this apple mixture in a blender. Microwave this blended mixture at  8 -10 minutes or till its thickened.Stir it every 2 minutes.Add the lemon juice and mix well.Pour this to a glass bottle . Allow it to cool and refrigerate it.

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CHERU PAYAR CURRY(GREEN GRAM)

Ingredients

1 Cup Whole Green Gram

3 Green Chilles Slit

1/2 Inch Ginger Grated or Finely chopped

1/2 Tsp Turmeric

1/2 Tsp Red Chiili Powder

1/2 Cup Grated Coconut – Ground to paste.

Seasoning

2-3 Tsp Oil

1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds

2-3 Dry Red Chilles Broken

Curry Leaves

Soak the whole green gram in water for about 15-30 mins.In a pressure pan, add the soaked & drained green gram. Add enough water, few curry leaves, grated ginger, slit green chilles & turmeric. Stir.Pressure cook for 3 whistles and simmer for about 5 minutes & turn off the flame.Add the chilli powder & salt in to the cooked green gram , Stir well & simmer for few minutes.Add the ground coconut. In a separate pan heat 2-3 tsp of oil for seasoning.When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they pop add the red chilles.Stir for a second & add the curry leaves.Add the seasoning to the green gram curry, simmer for 2-3 minutes before switching the flame off.

Puttu and Cherupayar is the common break fast of Keralites.....

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MUSHROOM THORAN

Ingredients:

Mushroom 1 Cup

Shallots 1 Cup

Grated coconut -1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Pepper Powder-1/2 tsp


Ginger - One small piece


Garlic - 4 pieces

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Mustards - 1/4 tsp

Green chillies - 2

Lime Juice -2 tsp

Oil -2 table spoon

Salt - To taste

This recipe we tried as one lady, from kalba, UAE, explains in a cookery show called food path.  Thanks to Mr. Kalesh for bringing her in this show.  She made it with meat, but we tried with mushrooms, instead. No doubt, it was really yummy......


Put the chopped mushrooms in a vessel containing water and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder,Pepper Powder, salt 1/2 tsp oil and 2 or 3 curry leaves Cook 10 minutes and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan at medium heat. Splutter mustards and fry Ginger ,Grlic and Green Chillies. Now Fry them and then add the Shallots ( don't slice shallots). Stir fry until they are lightly browned. Bring down the heat and add the chopped mushroom pieces, grated coconut , masala powders, salt and curry leaves. If the item is too dry add water and stir .After that add the lime juice and cook 5 minutes. 


Garnish with coriander leaves and serve....!!

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PAYAR MEZHUKKU PURATTY

Ingriedients:


Long Beans
Shallots: 8Nos
Red Chilli: 3 Nos
Grated Coconut:1/4 Cup
Curry Leaves 3-5
Coconut Oil
Salt

Cut the long beans in length wise. In a micro wave vessel add long beans,oil and salt and cook for 7 minutes in microwave .At the  same time,  crush the coconut with shallots and red chilly. Mean while heat the oil in another pan and add the crushed items with curry leaves and  add the cooked long beans and stir it for a couple of minutes.


This is a traditional keralite recipe.....

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LEMON RICE

Ingredients:


1 Cup Basmati  Rice
2 tsps Lime Juice
1 tsp Chana Dal


For Seasoning:


2 Table spoon Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Chana Dal
1/4 tsp safeotida
8 or 9  Curry Leaves
3-4 tsps unsalted peanuts
1/4 to1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Cook 1 cup basmati with 2 tsps lime juice and 1 tsp oil If the rice looks sticky, spread it out on a baking sheet to cool a bit. Also soak 1 tsp chana dal (split bengal gram) for 30 minutes, drain, pat dry and spread on a microwave-safe plate.In a big pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil (we used light sesame oil).To it add1 tsp brown mustard seeds1 tsp chana dal (see note above)1/4 tsp asafeotida,8 or 9 curry leaves3-4 tablespoons unsalted raw 1/4 to 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.When the nuts begin to get toasty, add2-3 chopped green chillies, and the mustard seeds pop and the peanuts are golden, add the rice and Stir gently.

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GOBI MANJURIAN

Ingredients:

• 1 medium Gobi (Cauliflower)
• 3/4 cup Flour (Maida)
• 1 tbsp Corn Flour
• 1 drop red food colour
• Salt to taste
• 1 Chopped Capsicum 
• 11/2 tbsp Garlic Paste
• 11/2 tbsp Ginger Paste
• 1 cup finely Chopped Onions
• Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
• 2 tbsp Soya Sauce
• 2-3 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 
• 1-2 tsp chilli sauce
• 2 tbsp Oil

Preparation

• Make a paste of maida, corn flour and salt using water.
• Take a tsp. of ginger and garlic paste, one drop red food colour and 1/2 tsp soy suce add to the paste.
• Dip the gobi florets in the paste and deep fry till golden brown. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in another pan and add the left ginger & garlic paste, chopped onions and Capsicum  to it.
• Now add soya sauce and tomato sauce to it.
• Add fried Gobi kept aside and mix well. Garnish it with coriander leaves. 

Serve the gobi manchurian hot!!!!!!!!!

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KUMBALANGA (WINTER MELON) MORU CURRY

Ingredients:

• Wintermelon – 250gms
• Green chilly – 3
• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
• Curd (thick) – 1 cup
• Cumin seeds(jeera) – 1/4 tsp
• Red chilly powder – 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Black Pepper Powder-1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
• Dry red chilly – 2
• Fenugreek seeds (uluva) – 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Salt
• Oil

Preparation :

• Chop  wintermelon into medium pieces and cook with little turmeric powder,red chilly powder,Black Pepper powder salt and water.
• Grind grated coconut with jeera, green chilly to a fine paste.
• Add beaten curd to cooked  wintermelon and stir well to avoid curdling.
• Once it becomes thick in consistency add coconut paste to it and boil for 2-3 mins.Remove from fire.
• Heat oil in a  pan .splutter mustard seeds,dry chilly and fenugreek seeds and add it to the curry.
• Garnish with curry leaves.

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MUSHROOM TIKKA MASALA

Ingredients:

250 gm Button Mushroom
100 gm curd
2 onion
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tsp ginger & garlic paste
2 tsp green chilly paste
50 gm cashew nut paste
1 tsp Meat Masala
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
salt to taste



Cut slices of Onion and keep them aside.
Cut Mushroom in Small Pieces
Mix Meat masala along with half of the ginger garlic paste with Curd.
Now add Mushroom Pieces and mix well and marinate for 15 Minutes.
Heat 1 tsp oil and Roast the above mix and keep aside
Heat oil in a pan and put ginger garlic paste and green chilly in it.
Cook for few minutes. Thereafter, add finely chopped onion and fry.
Add tomato paste and cook until oil floats on the surface.
Then add cashew nut paste and cook for 3 minutes.
Then add all the spices and cook for 2 minutes.
Lastly add Cooked Mushroom and water ( if you want more gravy) cook for 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander (if you want ) and serve hot.

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VEGETABLE KURUMA

Ingredients:


Vegetables : Cauliflower and Carrots

1 tsp Mustard 
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
3/4 tsp Chopped Green Chilli 
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste  
4 to 5 Curry Leaves 

1/4 Cup Coconut Milk
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala 
1/2 Cup Grated Coconut
 4 to 5Cashew Nuts 

In a thick bottom vessel, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add Onion,Green Chillies, Curry Leaves, & ginger garlic paste one by one and fry. Add the powdered ingredients and fry for few mins.Add the prepared vegetables , when the vegetables are half cooked add coconut milk and salt. After the vegetables are cooked add the Coconut & Cashew Paste and cook few minutes. Garnish with Coriander Leaves.

Note: Along with Cauliflower and Carrots you can use other vegetables as per your taste......It is an Ideal side dish for Appam and Chappathy

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ABOUT SHAD RASA

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Shadrasa - the Six Tastes

Rasa is the perception of taste by the tongue. We can perceive the taste of a something when it meets our tongue.

Every substance has a different physical and chemical composition; hence, there are so many different tastes present in the universe.

Ayurveda explains that different tastes are created by different combinations of the pancha mahabhutas (elements). Jala (water) and prithvi (earth) play a major role in the formation of rasa, and the other three mahabhutas (fire, air and space) help.

Charaka, one of the founding practitioners of ayurveda, also known as the father of anatomy said that there are six rasas:

Madhura - Sweet:

Helps to build body tissue, and is beneficial for the senses and the hair, and for those who suffer from low body weight or excessive weight loss. Madhura rasa helps to keep good tone and pitch in the voice, and extends our lifespan. If taken in excess, the person suffers from meda (fat) and kapha dosha diseases.

Amla - Sour:

Helps in digestion and increases the appetite. Amla increases taste and causes light secretions. If taken in excess, kapha and pitta dosha and rakta dhatu diseases occur, and one can suffer from vertigo, loss of sensory functions and tissue loss.

Lavana - Salt:

Relieves rigidity allows for ease of movement and intensifies taste perception and digestion. Lavana increases mucous secretions and sweat. It helps in absorption. If taken in excess, ones lifespan is reduced, hair is grayish and thinning, and a loss of strength and skin diseases occur.

Katu - Pungent:

Relieves throat and skin diseases, and helps in digestion; it is useful as an anti-inflammatory substance, helps wounds and ulcers to heal, aids in the absorption of food and reduces fat and mucous secretions. Katu increases taste perception and helps to reduce kapha. If taken in excess, bala (strength) and sukra (sperm) are reduced and one suffers from tremors, pains and cramps in the legs.

Tikta - Bitter:

Although it can taste bad, tikta can overcome bad tastes and increase taste perception. Tikta kills worms, relieves toxins, helps in drying or absorption of body fluids and reduces kapha, meda, majja, purisha and mutra. If taken in excess, vata diseases and loss of weight occurs.

Kasaya - Astringent:

Decreases pitta and kapha, purifies the blood and heals ulcers. Kasaya reduces meda, absorbs secretions, and is very useful for the skin. If taken in excess, the person suffers from abdominal dysfunction, heart pain, obstruction of secretions, severe thirst, impotency and narrowing of body channels.

Combination of Rasas:

In the universe, the pancha mahabhutas occur in their basic elemental form. Every substance comprises a combination of panchas bhutas (five elements); therefore, each substance contains all six rasas. However, one rasa will usually dominate the substance, and create the predominant taste. In total, there are sixty-three combinations of rasas that occur in the universe.

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