Peanuts Coconut Chutney

Peanut coconut chutney is tasty, easy and quick to prepare chutney goes well with dosa, idli and appam. The following ingredients are needed to prepare Peanuts Coconut Chutney.

Ingredients:
Peanuts.             -3/4 cup
Grated coconut. -1/2 cup
Dry red chilly.    -5
Tamarind.          - a marble size
Curry leaves.    -1 sprig
Salt.                  - to taste

For Seasoning:-
Mustard seeds.-1/2 tsp
Dry red chilly. -1
Curry leaves.  -few
Oil.                 -1 tsp

Method:
1). Heat a pan and dry roast peanuts, grated coconut, dry red chillies for 4 minutes on low flame. Switch off the flame and allow the roasted ingredients to cool.

2). Once cooled add the roasted peanuts, grated coconut, dry red chillies, curry leaves, tamarind and required salt into a mixer and grind to a smooth paste.

3). Transfer the ground peanut coconut chutney to a bowl.

4). Heat oil in a small pan for seasoning and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilly broken pieces and few curry leaves into the pan and saute in oil for a second. Switch off the flame.

5).Pour the seasoning into the peanuts coconut chutney in the bowl and mix well.

Peanuts coconut chutney is ready to serve with idli, dosa and appam.. 

Aval Pazham Laddu/ Poha Banana Laddu.

Aval pazham laddu / Poha banana laddu is easy to prepare sweet snack made with flattened rice/aval, ripe nendran banana /kerala banana, jaggery and coconut.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Aval Pazham Laddu.

Ingredients:

Aval / flattened rice. -2 cups
Nendran banana.      -1 ripe
Grated coconut.       -1/2 cup
Jaggery.                   -1/2 cup
Cardamom.             -4
Ghee.                      -2 tbsp

Method:
1). Heat a pan and dry roast aval /poha /flattened rice for 2 minutes on low flame.Transfer the dry roasted aval /poha to a plate.

2). Chop ripe nendran banana into small pieces. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the chopped ripe nendran banana pieces in ghee nicely.

3). In a blender add the dry roasted aval /poha, grated jaggery, cardamom and pulse for 3 to 4 minutes.

4). In a mixing bowl add the ground aval jaggery cardamom mixture, grated coconut, ghee roasted ripe nendran banana pieces and mix well.

5). Take a portion of the mixture in your palm and make a round ball shape laddu. Repeat the process and make aval pazham laddu with the remaining portion of the mixture. Transfer the aval pazham laddu to a serving bowl.

Aval Pazham Laddu / Poha Banana Laddu  is ready to serve as a snack.

Broccoli Soup.

Broccoli soup is a tasty and easy to make healthy soup.The following ingredients are needed to prepare healthy Broccoli Soup recipe.

Ingredients:

Broccoli.           -1
Celery stems.    -3
Onion.               -1
Pepper powder. -1tsp
Salt.                   -to taste
Butter.               -1tbsp
Water.               -as needed

Instructions:

Cut broccoli and separate the florets and wash well.Chop the broccoli stalks and celery stems into small pieces. Finely chop onion. Keep aside.

Method:

1). Heat butter in a pan. Add finely chopped onion into the pan and saute well till soft.

2). Add chopped broccoli stalks, celery stems and 1/2 cup of water into the pan. Saute well and cook till soft.

3). Add broccoli florets into the pan. Add 1/2 cup of water and boil and cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame.

4). Once cooled add all the cooked ingredients along with vegetable stock in a blender and blend it to a smooth puree.

5). Transfer the blended smooth puree to a bowl. Add required water to adjust the consistency of the broccoli  soup. Add required salt and mix well. Sprinkle pepper powder in the broccoli soup and mix well.

Very tasty and healthy Broccoli Soup is ready to serve hot.

Mugga Muliku /Sukhiyan

Sukhiyan /Sweet moong dal bonda is known as Mugga muliku in Konkani. Sukhiyan is a traditional deep fried tea time snack in Kerala. Mugga muliku /Sukhiyan /Sugian is a sweet snack with crispy outer covering filled with sweet and soft green gram jaggery coconut mixture.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Mugga Muliku / Sukhiyan / Sweet Moong Dal Bonda.

Ingredients:

Green gram.           -1cup
Grated coconut.      -1cup
Jaggery grated.       -1cup
Cardamom powder.-1tsp
Ghee.                      -1tbsp
Maida.                    -2 cup
Rice flour.              -1/2 cup
Turmeric powder.  -1/4 tsp
Salt.                        -to taste
Oil - for deep frying.

Instructions:

1). Dry roast green gram /mugu on low flame for 2 minutes.Wash and cook the roasted green gram in a vessel adding required water and a pinch of salt till cooked. Do not over cook green gram. Keep aside the cooked green gram.

2). In a small cooking vessel add grated jaggery and 3/4 cup of water. Boil till the jaggery dissolves in water. Switch off the flame and filter the jaggery solution to remove the impurities. Keep aside the filtered jaggery solution.

Method:

1). Heat 1tbsp ghee in a wide bottom pan and add the cooked green gram.

2). Add grated coconut into the pan and mix with the cooked green gram.

3). Add filtered jaggery syrup into the pan and mix with the cooked green gram grated coconut mixture. Keep on stirring the mixture on medium flame and cook till the cooked green gram and coconut absorbs the jaggery syrup.

4). When the green gram coconut jaggery mixture becomes thick add cardamom powder and mix well. Switch off the flame and keep aside the green gram mixture to cool. Once cooled make small lemon size balls of green gram mixture. Keep aside the lemon size green gram mixture balls.

5). In a mixing bowl add maida, rice flour, turmeric powder and required salt. Add required quantity of water into the bowl and mix well without lumps and make a semi thick batter consistency.

6). Heat oil in a deep frying pan on high flame. Once the oil is hot lower the flame to medium heat.

7). Dip the green gram mixture ball into the maida rice batter to coat the batter evenly on all its sides. Slowly drop the batter coated balls one by one into hot oil. Deep fry them in batches till light golden brown and crispy on out side.

8). Once the outer side becomes crispy remove the sukhiyan/ mugga muliku from hot oil and transfer to a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

Sweet Mugga Muliku / Sukhiyan is ready to serve hot with tea.

Broccoli Green Peas Soup.

Broccoli green peas soup is a healthy and easy to make soup using broccoli and frozen green peas.The following ingredients are needed to prepare Broccoli Green peas Soup.

Ingredients:
Broccoli.           -1
Green peas.       -3/4 cup
Onion.               -1
Garlic cloves.    -2
Vegetable stock -1 and 1/2 cup
Pepper powder. -1tsp
Water.                -as needed
Salt.                   - to taste
Oil.                    -1tbsp

Instructions:

Cut broccoli and separate the florets and wash well. Broccoli stalks are nutritious and high in fiber. Chop the broccoli stalks into small chunks. Finely chop onion. Crush garlic cloves.Keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat oil in a pan.Add finely chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves into the pan and saute well till soft.

2). Add chopped broccoli stalks and 3/4 cup of water into the pan and cook for few minutes.

3). Add chopped florets and frozen green peas into the pan and saute well. Add 3/4 cup of water into the pan and bring it to boil and cook until broccoli and green peas become soft.

5). In a blender add the cooked vegetables and vegetable stock and blend to a smooth puree.

6). Transfer the broccoli green peas soup to a serving bowl.Add water to adjust the consistency of the soup. Add required salt and pepper powder into the soup and mix well.

Broccoli Green Peas Soup is ready to serve hot.

Madhura Cheera Thoran / Multivitamin Cheera Thoran

Multivitamin plant also known as Madhura cheera / Velicheera is a leafy green rich in vitamins, zinc and iron. The tender leaves are used for making stir fry. Madhura cheera thoran / Multivitamin cheera thoran /Velicheera thoran is a coconut masala stir fry made with multivitamin plant leaves /madhura cheera leaves and goes well as a side dish with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Madhura Cheera Thoran / Multivitamin Cheera Thoran /Velicheera Thoran.

Ingredients:-

Madhura cheera.   -1 cup chopped
Grated coconut.    -1/2cup
Dry red chilly.      -4
Turmeric powder. -1/4 tsp
Urad dal.               -1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds.     -1tsp
Salt.                      -to taste
Coconut oil.         -1tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Wash and finely chop madhura cheera leaves /mutivitamin cheera leaves.Drain water and keep aside.

2). Grind grated coconut along with dry red chillies and turmeric powder to a coarse mixture without adding water. Keep aside the coarsely ground coconut masala mixture.

Method:-

1). Heat 1tbsp coconut oil in a pan. Add urad dal and saute well. Splutter mustard seeds.

2). Add finely chopped madhura cheera leaves / multivitamin cheera leaves and saute well on low flame till the leaves wilt.

3). Add required salt and 2 tbsp of water into the pan. Mix well and cook the madhura cheera leaves.

4). Add coarsely ground coconut masala mixture into the pan and mix well till the water is fully absorbed. Switch off the flame. Transfer the madhura cheera thoran /multivitamin cheera thoran to a serving plate

Very tasty Madhura Cheera Thoran / Multivitamin Cheera Thoran/ Veli Cheera Thoran is ready to serve with rice.

Madura Cheera Stir Fry/ Multivitamin Plant Stir Fry

Madhura cheera known as multivitamin plant is rich in vitamins, zinc and iron. Madhura cheera stir fry/Multivitamin plant leaves stir fry is a coconut based leafy vegetable dry stir fry made with multivitamin plant leaves /madhura cheera leaves adding coconut and kanthari mulaku (bird's eye chilli) and goes well as a side dish with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Madhura Cheera Stir Fry/ Multivitamin plant Stir Fry.

Ingredients:-

Madhura cheera leaves.-2 cup chopped
Grated coconut.   -1/2 cup
Kanthari mulaku. -4 (Bird's eye chilli)
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds.     -1tsp
Cumin seeds.       -1/2 tsp
Water.                  -1/2 cup
Salt.                     -to taste
Oil.                      -2 tsp

Instructions:

1). Pluck the tender leaves of madhura cheera / multivitamin plant leaves from its small branches and wash well. Drain and finely chop the madhura cheera leaves and keep aside.

2). Grind grated coconut along with 4 kanthari mulaku (birds eye chilli) and turmeric powder to a coarse mixture. Keep aside the coarsely ground coconut chilly masala mixture.

Method:-

1). Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

2). Add finely chopped madura cheera leaves / multivitamin plant leaves, required salt and 1/2 cup of water into the pan. Saute well and cook madhura cheera leaves for 5 minutes on low flame.

3). Add coarsely ground coconut chilly masala mixture into the pan and mix with cooked madhura cheera leaves.

4). Saute well. Once the water is absorbed and the stir fry becomes dry switch off the flame.

Madhura Cheera Stir Fry / Multivitamin Plant Stir Fry is ready to serve with rice.

Ripe Nendran Banana Roast

Nendran banana roast is a very tasty and easy to prepare sweet dessert made with ripe nendran banana / Kerala banana. The following ingredients are needed to prepare Ripe Nendran Banana Roast.

Ingredients:
Nendran Banana.    -1 ripe
Sugar.                      -2 tsp
Cardamom powder. -1tsp
Coconut oil or Ghee.-2 tbsp

Instructions:
Peel and remove the skin of ripe nendran banana and chop the banana into 2 halves length wise. Then chop the banana halves into 1/4 inch thin semi circle pieces.

Method:

1).  Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee in a flat pan. Add the chopped ripe nendran banana pieces into the pan and fry in coconut oil or ghee until it starts to brown. Flip the banana pieces to fry the othe side until it starts to brown.

2). Remove the fried nendran banana pieces from pan and transfer to a plate. Banana pieces become soft when fried.

3). Sprinkle 2 tsp sugar and cardamom powder over the fried ripe nendran banana pieces. Mix well and allow it cool.

Ripe Nendran Banana Roast is ready to serve as a sweet snack.

Manga Inji Pickle/ Mango Ginger Pickle.

Manga inji /manga inchi /mango ginger is a root vegetable which has a mango flavour and looks like a variety of ginger. Manga inji pickle / Manga inchi pickle / Mango ginger pickle is a very easy to prepare tasty pickle.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Manga Inji Pickle / Mango Ginger Pickle.

Ingredients:

Manga inji chopped.-1/4 cup
Green chilly.          -2
Dry red chilly.       -2
Red chilly powder.-1tsp
Turmeric powder.  -1/4 tsp
Curry leaves.         -few
Asafoetida.            -1/4 tsp
Vinegar.                 -2 tsp
Mustard seeds.      -1tsp
Fenugreek.            -1/4 tsp
Salt.                       -to taste
Gingely oil.           -2 tbsp

Instructions:

Scrap and remove the outer skin of manga inji. Wash and pat dry the manga inji with a clean cloth and chop it into small pieces. Cut green chilly into 4 pieces. Keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat 2 tbsp gingelly oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Add dry red chillies, green chilly pieces and few curry leaves into the pan and saute well.

2). Add chopped manga inji pieces into the pan and saute for 2 minutes.

3). Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and required salt into the pan. Mix well and saute on low flame.

4). Add vinegar into the manga inji mixture and mix well. Switch off the flame and allow the pickle to cool.

5).Once cooled transfer the manga inji pickle to a proceline bowl or glass bottle.

Very tasty Manga Inji Pickle / Mango Ginger Pickle is ready to use.

Crab Apple Pickle

Crabapple is a small, tart and sour flavour fruit from a type of apple tree.Crab apples are very small and less than 2 inch in size.Crab apple pickle is easy tp prepare spicy pickle.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Crab Apple Pickle.

Ingredients:-

Crab Apple.            - 20 or 30 small
Ginger chopped.       -1tbsp
Garlic chopped.        -1tbsp
Green chillies.           -4
Turmeric powder.       -1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder.      -2 tbsp
Fenugreek powder.      -1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds powder.-1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds.             -1tsp
Fenugreek seeds.          -1/4 tsp
Curry leaves.                -few
Vinegar.                        -1/4 cup
Water.                           -as needed
Salt.                              -to taste
Gingelly oil.                 -2 tbsp

Instructions:
Crab Apples

Remove the stem attached to the crab apples,Wash and clean the crab apples in water and pat dry them with a clean cloth. Put the cleaned crab apples in 1cup of warm water. Let it sit in warm water for 10 minutes.

Method:-

1). Heat 2 tbsp gingelly oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Add few curry leaves and fry in oil.

2). Add chopped ginger, chopped garlic and chopped green chillies into the pan and saute well.

3). Drain the crab apples from warm water and put them into the pan and saute well.

4). Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, fenugreek powder and mustard powder into the pan and saute well.

5). Add required salt and vinegar into the pan. Mix well all the ingredients in the pan and switch off the flame. Transfer the crab apple pickle in a procelain bowl to cool. Once cooled store the crab apple pickle in an air tight glass bottle.

Crab Apple Pickle is ready to serve.

Black Chana Black Pepper Stir Fry

Black chana pepper stir fry is very tasty and easy to prepare stir fry made with black chickpea adding crushed black pepper and asafoetida goes well as a side dish with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Black Chana Black Pepper Stir Fry.

Ingredients:-

Black chana.  -1cup
Dry red chilly.-1
Curry leaves.  -few
Black pepper. -1tsp
Asafoetida.     -1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds.-1 tsp
Cumin seeds.   -1/4 tsp
Salt.                 -to taste
Oil.                  -1 tbsp

Instructions:-

Wash and soak black chana / black chickpea in water overnight. Pressure cook black chana adding required water for 5 whistles or till cooked. Keep aside cooked black chana along with little cooked water.Crush black pepper and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilly and curry leaves into the pan and fry in oil. Add crushed black pepper and asafoetida into the pan and stir well.

2). Add cooked black chana along with 2 tbsp of cooked water and required salt into the pan and mix well. Cover and cook till water evaporates and switch off the flame.Transfer the black chana black pepper stir fry to a serving bowl.

Black Chana Black Pepper Stir Fry is ready to serve.

Malabar Spinach Bajji

Malabar spinach bajji is a deep fried evening snack made with red malabar spinach and can be served with tomato ketchup.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Malabar Spinach Bajji.

Ingredients

Red Malabar spinach.-6 to 10
Gram flour.             -1/2 cup
Rice flour.              -1tsp
Red chilly powder. -1tsp
Asafoetida /hing.    -a pinch.
Water.                     -as required
Salt.                        -to taste
Oil.                        -for deep frying

Instructions:-

Wash red malabar spinach leaves in water and pat dry them with a clean cloth.

Method:-

1). In a mixing bowl add gram flour, rice flour, red chilly powder, asafoetida (hing powder), required salt and mix well. Add required water into the bowl and mix all the ingredients without lumps and make a thick batter.

2). Heat oil in a deep frying kadai. Once the oil is hot dip the red malabar spinach leaves into the thick batter and drop them in hot oil 2 or 3 at a time and deep fry them on medium flame until golden colour. Deep fry them in batches.

3). Once done remove the malabar spinach bajji from hot oil and transfer to a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

Malabar Spinach Bajji is ready to serve with tomato ketchup.

Soft Roti Recipe without Kneading and Rolling.

Soft roti made without kneading and without rolling the flour. Soft roti can be served for breakfast or dinner with any side dish of your choice. Soft Roti recipe without kneading and without rolling the dough is given below.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Soft Roti Without Kneading and Rolling.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour.-1 cup
Maida.         -1/2 cup
Warm water.-1 &1/2 cup +4 tbsp
Salt.             -1/2 tsp
Oil.              -1tbsp

Instructions:
Sieve 1 cup wheat flour and 1/2 cup maida /all purpose flour. In a mixing bowl add sieved wheat flour maida mixture. Add 1/2 tsp salt into the flour mixture and mix well. Add required luke warm water and 1tbsp oil into the mixing bowl and mix the wheat flour maida mixture with a hand whisker for 3-4 minutes without any lumps and make a thin liquid batter. Keep aside the liquid batter for 3 minutes to rest.

Method:
1). Heat a flat nonstick tawa. Mix the liquid batter using a ladle.Take a ladle of liquid batter and pour it on tawa and allow it to spread itself on tawa and make a round shape roti. Roast the roti for 2 minutes on medium flame.

2). Once the roti is little cooked flip the roti to cook the other side.

3). Press the roti with a cloth to puff up. Flip and press the roti 2-3 times using a flat spatula to puff up  both sides.

4). When brown spots start to appear on both sides remove the soft roti from tawa and transfer to a plate.

5). Repeat the process and make soft roti with the remaining liquid batter and transfer to a serving plate.

Soft Roti Without Kneading and Rolling is ready to serve for breakfast or dinner with any side dish of your choice.

Kappa Curry and Rava Upma.

Kappa curry is a semi thick tapioca curry that can be served hot with rava upma for breakfast or dinner. Rava upma is made with roasted semolina. Kappa Curry and Rava Upma is very tasty and a very good combination dish. Kappa curry and Rava upma recipe is given below.

For Kappa Curry / Tapioca Curry Recipe:

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Kappa Curry /Tapioca Curry.

Ingredients:-

Tapioca/ Kappa.    -1/2 kg
Mustard seeds.      -1tsp
Green chilly.         -1 half slit
Curry leaves.         -few
Red chilly powder.-1& 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder.  -1/4 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing. -1/4 tsp
Water.                    -3 cup
Salt.                       -to taste
Coconut oil.           -2 tsp +1tsp

Instructions:-

1). Cut tapioca / kappa with outer skin horizontally into large round pieces and remove the outer skin using a knife. Chop tapioca into medium thick pieces and wash well in water for 2 to 3 times.

2). Boil the tapioca pieces in a vessel till soft adding sufficient water and a pinch of salt. Drain the boiled water completely and keep aside the boiled tapioca pieces.

Method:

1). Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add half slit green chillies and curry leaves into the pan and saute in oil.

2). Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder and hing powder into the pan and saute well on low flame.

3). Add boiled tapioca/ kappa pieces, required salt and 3 cup of water into the pan and mix well. Cover the pan and boil on low flame till the tapioca curry becomes semi thick.

4). Pour 1tsp coconut oil over the tapioca curry/ kappa curry and mix well.Switch off the flame and transfer the curry to a serving bowl.

Very tasty Tapioca curry / Kappa curry is ready to serve hot with Rava Upma.

For Rava Upma Recipe:

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Rava Upma.

Ingredients:-

Semolina/ Rava.-1cup
Green chilly.      -3 half slit
Ginger chopped.-1tsp
Curry leaves.     -1sprig
Water.                -3 cup
Grated Coconut.-3 tbsp
Urad dal.           -1tsp
Mustard seeds.  -1tsp
Cumin seeds.     -1/2 tsp
Salt.                    -to taste
Coconut oil.       -2 tsp +1tsp

Instructions:
Heat a pan and dry roast semolina /rava for 3 minutes on low flame and keep aside to cool.

Method:

1). Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a wide bottom pan. Add urad dal and saute well. When urad dal starts to change its colour, splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

2). Add finely chopped ginger, half slit green chillies and curry leaves into the pan and saute well in oil.

4). Add required salt and 3 cups of water into the pan. Mix well and boil the water.

5). Add roasted semolina/ rava little by little into the boiling water and stir well without lumps.Semolina /rava starts to become thick when the water evaporates. Keep stirring the semolina /rava mixture until it does not stick to the pan.

6). Add grated coconut into the pan and mix with the cooked semolina /rava. Pour 1tsp coconut oil over the rava upma. Mix well and switch off the flame.

Rava Upma is ready to serve hot with hot Kappa Curry.

White Chana Masala Gravy / Vella Kadala Curry

White chana masala gravy / White chickpea curry is a Kerala style Vella kadala curry made with white chickpea and ground coconut spicy masala paste. White Chana Masala Gravy / Vella Kadala Curry goes well with puttu, chapati and rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare White Chana Masala Curry / White Chickpea Curry.

Ingredients:
White Chana / White Chickpea.-1 cup
Turmeric powder.-1/4 tsp
Garam masala.     -1tsp
Dry red chilly.      -2
Mustard seeds.     -1 tsp
Curry leaves.       -few
Salt.                     -to taste
Water.                  - as needed
Oil.                      -1 tsp
Cooked white chickpea.-1/4 cup

For grinding Coconut Masala Paste:
Grated coconut.    -1 cup
Onion.                   -1
Garlic cloves.        -3
Pepper corn.          -10
Fennel seeds          -1tsp
Turmeric powder.  -1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder.-1 tsp
Coriander powder. -1 tsp
Oil.                        -1 tsp

Method:
1). Wash and soak white chickpea/ white chana in water overnight. Pressure cook soaked white chickpea addding turmeric powder, 1tsp salt and 1cup of water for 5 whistles. Keep aside the cooked white chana along with cooked water.

2). Heat 1tsp oil in a pan Add grated coconut, finely chopped onion, thinly chopped garlic cloves, pepper corn and fennel seeds into the psn and roast them together until the grated coconut becomes golden brown. Switch off the flame and add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1tsp red chilly powder and 1tsp coriander powder into the pan and mix with roasted ingredients. Once cooled grind all the ingredients along with 1/4 cup of cooked white chickpea to a fine paste adding little water.Keep aside the ground Coconut masala paste.

Method:
1). In a wide bottom pan add cooked chickpea along with cooked water and boil on low flame.

2). Add ground coconut masala paste into the pan and mix with cooked white chickpea. Add required salt andmix well. Add required water to adjust the consistency. Add garam masala into the pan and mix everything.

3). Heat oil in a small pan for seasoning and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilly broken pieces and curry leaves into the pan and fry in oil for a second. Switch off the flame.

4). Pour the seasoning into the white chana masala curry in the pan and mix well.

White Chana Masala Curry/ White Chickpea Curry / Kerala Vella Kadaka Curry is ready to serve hot with puttu, chapathi or rice.

Hittu / Soft Idli Steamed in Banana Leaf Basket.

 

In Kochi GSB Konkani community during festivals like Parab / Samsar Padvo /Avani Avittam idli is steamed in specially made green jackfruit leaves basket called khotto / hittu in konkani for breakfast. Hittu is served with coconut chutney or pickle or sambar. If jackfruit leaves are not available we can steam the idli batter in freshly made green banana leaf basket.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Hittu / Soft Idli Steamed In Banana Leaves Basket.

Ingredients:
Urad dal.                    -1 cup
Idli Rava / Rice Rava.-2 cup (store bought)
Salt.                            -to taste
Water.                         -as required.
Green banana leaves - for making basket

Instructions:
1). Wash and soak urad dal for 3 to 4 hours. Drain soaked water and grind the soaked urad dal to a smooth and fluffy batter.When grinding urad dal batter add very little water if needed. Transfer the ground urad batter to a large vessel.

2). In a bowl soak idli rava / rice rava in enough water for 5 minutes. Drain the soaked water and squeeze the idli rava to remove the excess water. Add the squeezed idli rava / rice rava into the ground urad batter in the large vessel and mix well without lumps using your hand. Make the batter to a idli batter consistency and keep aside to ferment the batter for 8 hours or overnight.

Method:
1). To make banana leaf baskets, take a rectangular shape banana leaf piece. Gently roll the banana leaf into cylindrical shape. Join the sides of the cylindrical shape leaf using a small piece of broom stick or tooth pick. Then fold the bottom part of the cylindrical shape leaf to one side and join it with the side of the leaf using a tooth pick. Banana leaf basket is ready. Repeat the process and make banana leaf baskets and keep aside.

2). Add required salt into the fermented idli batter and mix it well with a ladle.

3). Pour the fermented idli batter in banana leaf basket. Fill the batter only 3/4 of the banana leaf basket as the idli batter will rise up when it steamed.

4). Boil sufficient water in a idli steamer. Place the banana leaf baskets filled with idli batter on the steamer plate. Close the steamer with lid and steam cook the idlis for 15 to 20 minutes.Once done switch off the flame.

5). Open the steamer and remove the banana leaf baskets with steamed idlis from steamer and allow to cool.

6). Once cooled remove the tooth picks from banana leaf baskets. Peel the leaves of the baskets and take out the steamed idlis from it.

Soft Idlis Steamed in Banana Leaves Basket are ready to serve with coconut chutney or hot sambar or spicy pickle for breakfast.

Bilimbi Coconut Chutney / Tree Sorrel Chutney

Bilimbi coconut chutney/ Bilimbi chutney/ Tree sorrel chutney is very easy and quick to prepare chutney made with tender bilimbi fruits, grated coconut, green chilly, garlic cloves and goes well as a side dish with rice, dosa, idli and appam.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Bilimbi Coconut Chutney / Tree Sorrel Chutney.

Ingredients :
Grated Coconut.-1 cup
Tender Bilimbi. -4 or 5
Green chilly.      -1
Garlic cloves.    -2
Curry leaves.    -few
Salt.                  -to taste

Method:
In a mixer grinder add grated coconut, chopped tender bilimbi / tree sorrel, chopped green chilly, peeled garlic cloves, few curry leaves, required salt and grind to a smooth paste adding very little water. Transfer the ground bilimbi coconut chutney to a porcelain bowl. You can store the bilimbi coconut chutney in the refrigerator and it stays good for few more days.

Bilimbi Coconut Chutney / Tree Sorrel Chutney is ready to serve with rice, dosa, idli and appam.

Khotto / Hittu / Khotte / Idli Steamed in Jackfruit Leaves.

 

Khotto /Hittu /Khotte is a GSB Konkani breakfast dish prepared during kinkani festivals like ugadi / samsar padvo /parab /gudi padwa .Hittu is made with ground idli batter using urad dal, idli rice and fenugreek seeds mixed with thinly chopped green chilli, grated ginger and cumin seeds steamed in freshly woven green jackfruit leaves basket moulds. Green jackfruit leaves basket mould is called khotto in konkani. Khotte Hittu is served with coconut chutney or pickle or sambar.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Khotte Hittu.

Ingredients:

Urad dal.              -1 cup
Idli Rice.              -4 cup
Fenugreek/ Methi.-1/4 tsp
Green chillies.      -1
Ginger grated       -1tsp
Cumin seeds.       -1tsp
Fresh green Jackfruit Leaves.- for making jackfruit leaves basket.

Instructions:

1). Wash and soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) together in water in a bowl for 4 to 5 hours. Wash and soak idli rice in water in a separate bowl for 5 to 6 hours.

2). Drain soaked water completely and grind the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in a mixer grinder or wet grinder to a smooth, thick and fluffy batter adding very little water.Transfer the ground urad dal fenugreek seeds batter mixture to a big vessel.

3). Drain and grind the soaked idli rice in the grinder to a smooth and little rava consistency batter adding very little water. Add the ground idli rice batter into the same big vessel and mix with the ground urad dal fenugreek batter mixture without lumps using your hand. The idli batter in the big vessel should be a medium thick batter of idli batter consistency. Cover the big vessel and keep aside to ferment the batter for 8 hours or overnight.

4). For making one jackfruit leaves basket / khotto we need 4 equal size green and fresh jackfruit leaves. Wash 4 equal size fresh green jackfruit leaves in water and wipe with a cloth. First took 2 equal size Jackfruit leaves facing the end of each other and join them with a tooth pick keeping the stem part outwards. Take same size another 2 green jackfruit leaves facing the end of each other and keep them across the first 2 joined leaves. Insert a tooth pick in the middle and join together the ends of all 4 leaves.Fold and join the sides of each leaf with another using toothpicks and make a basket shape. Keep aside the prepared green jackfruit leaves basket for filling the idli batter.

Method:-

1). Add 1tsp salt into the fermented batter and mix well using a ladle.Add cumin seeds, thinly chopped green chilly pieces and grated ginger into the fermented batter and mix well.

2). Pour the fermented idli batter into the green jackfruit leaves basket. Fill the baskets with fermented batter little more than 1/2 of it as the batter will puff up in the basket while steaming.

3). Boil sufficient water in a steamer and keep a plate inside the steamer. Place the batter filled jackfruit leaves basket / khotto on the steamer plate. Cover the steamer with lid and cook the hittu for about 15 minutes on medium flame.

4). Once done switch off the flame and open the steamer lid. Remove the steamed khotto hittu from the steamer and transfer to a plate to cool.

5). Khotto Hittu is ready. Remove and discard the tooth picks from each jackfruit leaves basket and peel the jackfruit leaves one by one and take out the steamed hittu from the jackfruit leaves basket .

Khotte Hittu / Idli steamed in jackfruit leaves basket is ready to serve hot or warm with coconut chutney.You can serve it with sambar or pickle.

Dry Fruits Laddu

Dry fruits laddu is very easy to prepare sugar free, protein rich and healthy snack made with walnuts, almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, watermelon seeds and dates.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Dry Fruits Laddu.

Ingredients:
Walnuts.               -1 cup
Almonds.             -3/4 cup
Cashew nuts.        -1/2 cup
Raisins.                 -1/2 cup
Watermelon seeds.-1/2 cup
Dates.                    -20-25
Ghee.                     -2 tsp

Instructions:

Chop walnut into pieces.Chop almonds into halves lengthwise.Chop cashew nuts into halves. chop and remove seeds from dates. Keep aside the chopped dry fruits.

Method:-

1). Heat 2 tsp ghee in a pan. Add halved almonds, cashew nuts, chopped walnuts, and watermelon seeds into the pan and roast on low flame for 3 to 4 minutes in ghee and stir well. Remove them from the pan and keep aside to cool.

2). Add raisins and deseeded dates into the same pan and toast them for 2-3 minutes on low flame. Switch off the flame and keep aside the toasted raisins and dates to cool.

2). Once completely cooled keep aside a few ghee roasted chopped almonds, walnuts and cashew nuts pieces and toasted few raisins.

3). In a mixer jar add the remaining roasted almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts, roasted watermelon seeds, toasted raisins and dates and blend them together to a coarse mixture.

4).Transfer the coarsely ground dry fruits mixture to a large plate. Add a few ghee roasted chopped almonds, walnuts and cashew nuts pieces and toasted few raisins into the coarsely ground dry fruits mixture and mix them until all combined.

5). Take a small portion of the dry fruits mixture in your palm. Press and shape it into a round laddu and transfer to a plate. Repeat the process and make dry fruits laddu with the remaining dry fruit mixture. Place the dry fruits laddu in an airtight container and store the container with dry fruits laddu in the refrigerator. It stays fresh and crunchy in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Dry Fruits Laddu is ready to serve. Try the Dry Fruits Laddu recipe and enjoy the healthy snack.