Banana Flower(Vazha chundu) & Rajma Kurma

Ingredients:-

Rajma (Kidney Beans) - 1 cup

Banana flower(Vazha chundu) chopped - 1 cup

Onion chopped - 1 1/2 cup

Tomato chopped- 1

Gralic and ginger chopped - 2 tsp

Grated coconut - 3 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

curry leaves

Mustard seeds

Red chillies

Oil

Method

Wash and soak Rajma overnight or for atleast 6 hours

Pressure cook it with salt for 2 whistles,drain the excess water and set aside

Heat oil in a pan and add Chopped onions and stir fry it for 5 minutes.Now add chopped tomato,ginger and garlic. Sauté it for 3-4 minutes.Remove from Fire and let it cool

Grind this mixture along with grated coconut and salt.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies.When they pop up add red chilli powder and turmeric powder .Toss for a minute.

Stir in the chopped banana flower/Vazhachundu and sauté it well for 7-8 minutes.Sprinkle a little water in between.

When it is cooked add the onion-coconut paste and combine it well with Banana flower.

Toss it for a couple of minutes or until the raw smell goes.

Stir in the cooked Rajma,add 3 tsp of water and simmer for 4-5 minutes

Serve Warm!!!!

I am sending this to JFI:Rajma event hosted by our dear friend Divya of Dil Se , for the month of October and Originally started by Indira

Cheers!!!

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Mango Rice

Ingredients:-

Long Grained rice - 1 cup

Green/raw mango - 1 cup(cut into small pieces)

Grated Coconut - 4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chillies - 2

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

For tempering

Mustard seeds

yellow split peas- 1 tsp

red chilli

curry leaves

Oil/Butter

Method:-

Cook the rice with 2 1/4 cup of water.Set aside
Place mustard seeds,asafoetida powder , red chillies,turmeric powder,3/4 cup green mango and grated coconut in a blender and blend into a fine paste.Set aside
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds.When they pop up add yellow split peas,red chilli and a few curry leaves and sauté for a minute
Add peanuts,Remaining 1/4 cup mango. sauté for a few minutes ,until the mango is cooked.
Now add the mango coconut paste and sauté till the raw smell disappears.In a low flame,stir in the rice little by little,until well mixed

Serve Warm with Onion raita and Pappads

Recipe courtesy :- Indian Recipes

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Quail Fry &Roasted Quail(Kaada roast and Kaada fry)

When i visited India(Kerala) two months back, even before my arrival ,my dad made sure that i would have enough Quail/Kaada to eat for my entire vacation. He is the one who introduced me to this lovely meat, during my school days which i have a craving for all the time.But this time when i reached home,i dint even think of having Quail, and this came as a big surprise for me...

So here comes the recipe for two fabulous dishes my mom cooked for me with quail... Nadan Quail/Kaada fry & Nadan Quail/Kaada roast

Here you can make the same with Cornish game hen

Recipe for Quail Fry / Kaada Kozhi Varuthathu

Ingredients:-

Quail/Kaada - 2

Red Chili powder - 2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 1/2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

curry leaves

Oil for frying

Method:-

Clean the Quail and make incisions in it with a fork or a knife

Make a paste with all the powders and GGp and salt by adding a little water

Apply the marinade on the Quail and set aside for 2- 3 hours

Heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves.

Deep fry the quail /Kaada and drain the excess oil in a paper towel

Serve Warm!!!!

Recipe for Quail Roast / Kaada kozhi Roast

Ingredients:-

Quail/Kaada - 1

Onion chopped - 1

Shallots chopped - 2 cup

Green chilis chopped - 4-5 nos

Ginger chopped - 1tsp

Garlic chopped - 2 tsp

Red Chili powder - 2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Thin coconut milk - 1 cup

Cinnamon- a small piece

Cloves- 3-4

mace- 2

Salt to taste

curry leaves

Oil

Method :-

Clean the Quail and marinate it with pepper powder and salt and set aside for 1/2 an hour

Heat oil in a pan and add dd cinnamon,cloves and mace , fry for a minute and add chopped shallots& onions. Sauté it well for 10 minutes

Add chopped green chiles,ginger and garlic and cook for 5 minutes stirring continuously 

Make a paste with red chile powder,garam masala and coriander powder by adding a little thin coconut milk

Stir in the paste and the quail and saute' well. Add salt and curry leaves

Stir fry this over a low heat for 15 minutes , covering the quail with masala

Add thin coconut milk and 1 cup water and Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the meat is tender and gravy is thick

Serve warm!

Recipe Courtsey :- My MOm

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Fish Cutlet - Kerala style with canned Tuna

Recipe for Kerala Style Fish cutlets with Canned Tuna

Ingredients:-

Canned Tuna - 250 gms  any fish - 1/4 kg

Potato - 2

Onion finely chopped - 1 

Ginger minced - an inch piece
Garlic minced - 4-5 cloves

Green chillies finely chopped - 2 nos

Pepper powder  or freshly crushed black pepper- 1/2 to 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 to 1 tsp

Egg - 2

Bread Crumbs

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Method:-

Open the lid of the canned Tuna around and leave the lid on,push it down with ur thumb and drain the water from teh can as mush as possible.

(If using regular fish :-Clean and cut the fish.Cook it with 1/2 tsp of pepper powder and salt and a lil turmeric . Shred the fish using a fork or your hands Drain the excess water.)

Cook the potatoes until they are tender ,mash it and keep it aside

Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions,ginger& garlic,greenchillies and saute it till they are soft Add cooked fish ,pepper powder ,garam masala and fry it for a minute

Add salt and sauté it well for 10-12 minutes.remove from fire and let it cool

Then Add mashed potatoes and mix it well with your hand

Make small balls in round,oval or in the shape you want, with your hand

Dip this balls in beaten egg and roll it in bread crumbs

Deep fry it and drain it in paper towles

Serve Warm with Onion salad or ketchup

To make Onion Salad thinly slice Onions,and green chiles . Mix it well with salt and a tsp of vinegar!!!

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Kurumulaku Aloo

Ingredients:-

Potato - 4 medium nos

Onion chopped - 1 medium

Crushed pepper - 1 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp

green chilies chopped 2 nos

Salt to taste

Oil

Mustard Seeds

Method :-

Clean and cube the Potatoes
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.Let them pop up
Fry cumin seeds and crushed pepper for a minute,add chopped onion and fry until they are soft
Add GGP ,chopped green chiles ,Turmeric powder and stir well
Add cubed potatoes and season with salt. Sauté it well
Pour in 1/2 cup of warm water and cook covered on a medium heat until the potatoes are tender.(Add more water ,if the potatoes aren't cooked well)
Remove the lid and sauté it for 2 minutes
Remove from fire and garnish with chopped green chilies

Recipe Courtsey :- Monisha Bharadwaj

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The Leaf Peeper is back

It looks to me like I have been away for so long,though its just around 10 days..Thanks a bunch for ur wishes for my leaf ogling !!!

We had a mellow time in the New England,in the fall furnace of yellowand red ,sometimes every leaves red :) I had a feeling of being back in time ,in a world that i have read only in novels..mainly the novels from Romanticism...

Hundreds of picturesque driving routes with its twists and turns of cute waterfalls and backcountry lakes (both bustling and calm) in the Kanganamus Hwy of White mountains in NH captured my imagination like no other!!!

The air tram ride to the top of a mountain ,a misty mountain,4200 feet above sea level ,offered me a spectacular birds eye view of New Hampshire ,Vermont and Canada..

The winding country roads amidst dairy farms,sheep and cow scattered in the fields(and occassional sights of horses ),trees drooping with plump red apples,were all sights that were magnificent...

The pretty Christmas card perfect town of Woodstock in Vermont poured me with an intense dream of owning a ranch in the valley and taking stroll through the crimson red carpet of fallen tress :)

But I know the colours are just brief and my dream will always be a dream ;)..as i always try to dream the dreams that i have never been dreamt before!!!!

Cheers!!!!

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Idli Upma

Recipe courtesy - vanitha 
Ingredients:-

Idli - 5 nos

Onion chopped - 1/4 cup

Green chilli chopped- 2 nos

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Ghee

Asafetida / Hing - a large pinch

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds

Curry leaves

(Below are optional items )

Grated carrot - 1/2 cup

Cooked peas - 1/4 cup

Cashew nuts and raisins - 2tsp

Method :-

Cut idli into medium size pieces
Heat Ghee in a pan and fry cashew nuts and raisins and set aside
in the remaining ghee add mustard seeds and let them pop up.then add curry leaves
Stir in chopped onion,green chilies and sauté well .
( If using Add Grated carrot and peas and sauté well,stirring frequently)
Now add chili powder,turmeric powder and salt
Add idli pieces, sprinkle hing and toss it well and cook for 3-4 minutes,by sprinkling a little water
Garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins and
Serve Warm.

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Garlicky and Gingery Mathi curry - Kerala Style

Ingredients:-

Mathi/Sardines - 10 nos or 2 cans of Sardines

Shallots chopped - 8 

Green chilli sliced - 3

Ginger sliced - an inch piece

Garlic sliced - 8 cloves 

Red chilli powder - 1 tables poon

Coriander powder - 1.5 tea spoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind(kudampuli) - 3 medium pieces

Curry leaves

Mustard seeds

Salt to taste

oil

Method :-

Clean the fish and set aside.(if u are using canned no need to clean it)
Soak tamarind in a cup of warm water.
Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds.When they pop up, add chopped curry leaves ,shallots,ginger ,garlic and green chillies.
Sauté till they are soft
Make a paste with Chilli powder,Coriander powder and Turmeric powder and lil water and fry it for a minute or two .Add soaked tamarind(with water) and one more cup of water and add salt.
Bring it to boil and add Fish.
Cover it with a lid and cook till the fish is cooked and the gravy reduced to half.

Serve Warm with Kappa or Rice

Happy Cooking !

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Pineapple-Chicken Curry

Ingredients:-

Chicken - 1/2 kg

Pineapple cut into medium pieces- 1 cup

Onion chopped - 2 small

Garlic chopped - 1 tsp

Ginger chopped - 1 tsp

Green chillies chopped - 3-4 nos

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Thin coconut milk - 2 cup

Thick coconut milk - 1 cup
Salt to taste

Oil

Curry leaves

Mint leaves

Method :-

Clean and cut the chicken into medium cubes
Marinate it with Pepper powder and salt and keep it aside for 15 minutes
Make a paste with all the powders and garam masala ,by adding a little water
Heat oil in a pan and sauté chopped onions,green chillies,ginger and garlic.
When they turn soft and golden , add the masala paste and fry it for a minute
Now add the chicken pieces,and toss it well for 2 minutes
Pour thin coconut milk to the chicken and stir well
Add curry leaves,mint leaves and salt,Cover it with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 7-8 minutes
Now add the diced pineapple pieces and cook it again till the chicken is done and the gravy is thick..If necessary add thin coconut milk in between
So when the gravy is thick add Thick coconut milk and let it stand on a low flame for 2 minutes and remove from fire.Serve Warm.

Happy Cooking !

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