Ragi Soup / Ragi Vegetable Soup

Ragi soup is a very tasty and healthy mixed vegetable ragi soup.The following ingredients are needed to prepare Ragi Soup / Ragi Vegetable Soup.

Ingredients:-
Ragi flour.            -3 tbsp
Water.                   -1 cup +1 cup
Carrot chopped.    -1/4 cup 
Cabbage chopped.-2 tbsp 
Onion greens.       -2 tbsp chopped
Ginger crushed,.   -1tsp 
Green peas frozen.-1/4 cup 
Mushroom.            -3
Green chilly.          -2
Garlic.                     -4
Shallots.                  -6
Cumin seeds.          -1tsp
Black pepper corn. -1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder.   -1/4 tsp
Salt.                         -to taste
Apple cider vinegar.-1tsp
Spring onion.           -few chopped
Sesame oil.               -2 tsp

Instructions:
1). Chop carrot, cabbage and onion greens into very small pieces.Chop mushrooms, green chillies, garlic cloves and shallots into thin slices. Crush black pepper corns to a fine powder. Keep aside.

2). In a bowl add ragi flour and 1 cup of water and mix well without lumps. Keep aside the ragi flour water mixture.

Method:
1). Heat 2tsp sesame oil in a wide bottom pan.Splutter cumin seeds. Add crushed ginger, thinly sliced shallots, thinly sliced green chilli round pieces and thinly sliced garlic cloves into the pan and saute well till shallot becomes translucent.

2). Add chopped carrot, cabbage, onion greens and frozen green peas into the pan and saute well. Add 1cup of water and boil well.Cover and cook the vegetables for 2 minutes on low flame.

3). Add crushed black pepper powder, required salt and turmeric powder into the pan and mix well.

4). Add ragi water mixture into the pan and stir well and boil on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between to prevent the ragi mixture sticking to the bottom of the pan.

5). Stir the soup and boil on low flame and once the soup slightly thickens switch off the flame.

6). Add apple cider vinegar into the soup and mix well. Check for salt and add little salt if needed and mix well. Keep aside the soup to rest for 2 minutes. Once cooled the ragi soup will become thick. Garnish the ragi soup with finely chopped few spring onion.

Ragi Soup / Ragi Vegetable Soup is ready to serve.  

Spicy Wheat Flour Diamond Cuts / Govva Ronti

Wheat flour spicy diamond cuts also known as gova ronti in konkani is a deep fried spicy and crispy wheat flour tukdi and can be served as a teatime snack. The following ingredients are needed to prepare Spicy Wheat Flour Diamond Cuts/  Gova Ronti / Spicy Wheat Flour Tukkdi.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour.         -2 cup
Maida.                  -1/4 cup
Red chilli powder.-1tsp
Cumin seeds.       - 2 tsp
Asafoetida.           -1/2 tsp
Salt.                      - to taste
Oil.                       -2 tbsp
Oil.                       -for deep frying
Water.                   -as needed

Method:
1). In a mixing bowl add wheat flour, maida, red chilly powder, cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing powder), oil and little salt. Add required water little by little into the bowl and mix all the ingredients using your hand. Knead well and make a soft and firm dough. Keep aside the dough for 10 minutes to rest.

2). Knead the dough again and make small lemon size dough balls. Roll the dough balls into round roti shape. Cut the rolled rotis into diamond shape with a knife and keep them on a large plate.

3). Heat oil in a deep frying kadai. Once the oil is hot drop the chopped diamond cuts few at a time into hot oil and deep fry on medium low flame. Fry the wheat flour diamond cuts in small batches.

4). When the diamond cuts become crispy and change its colour into golden brown (don't make it dark brown) remove them from hot oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

5). Once cooled to room temperature store the deep fried crispy wheat flour diamond cuts in airtight container.

Crispy and spicy Wheat Flour Diamond Cuts / Spicy Wheat Flour Tukkdi / Gova Ronti are ready to serve as a snack with hot tea or coffee.
 

Chembinthal and Chembila Curry / Colocasia Stems and Leaves Curry.

Chembinthal and chembila curry is a easy to prepare very tasty and healthy gravy dish made with home grown colocasia stems and colocasia leaves goes well with steamed rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Chembinthal and Chembila Curry / Colocasia Stems and Leaves Curry. 

Ingredients:-
Colocasia leaves/ Chembila. -4 big
Colocasia stems/ Chembuthal.-2 cup
Red chilly powder. -1tsp
Asafoetida /Hing powder. -1/2 tsp
Sambar powder. -1tsp
Mustard seeds. -1tsp
Salt. -to taste
Coconut oil. -1tbsp

Home grown Chembinthal with Chembila / Colocasia Stems with Colocasia leaves

Instructions:
1). Cut and seperate the colocasia stems and colocasia leaves. Peel and remove the outer thin skin of colocasia stems / chembuthal and chop it into small pieces.Wash well and keep aside.

2). Slowly pluck green leafy parts in between the veins of the colocasia leaves /chembila using your hands and discard the vein parts of the colocasia leaves. Wash the plucked leafy parts of the colocasia leaves and chop them into very small. pieces and keep aside.

3). Soak tamarind in little water for 5 minutes. Then squeeze the soaked tamarind and extract tamarind juice.

Method:-
1). Heat coconut oil in a wide bottom pan and splutter mustard seeds. Lower the flame and add red chilli powder and asafoetida into the pan.

2). Add chopped colocasia leaves / chembila and chopped colocasia stems / chembuthal into the pan and saute well.

3). Add required salt and tamarind juice into the pan and mix well. Add 2 cup of water and boil well. Cover and cook colocasia leaves and stems till soft and mashy.

4). Add sambar powder into the gravy in the pan and mix well. Switch off the flame and transfer the curry to a serving bowl.

Very tasty and Chembinthal and Chembila Curry / Colocasia Stems and Leaves Curry is ready to serve with steamed rice. 

Curd Vermicelli / Thayir Semiya.

 Curd vermicelli also known as thayir semiya is a very tasty and easy to make vermicelli dish made with rice vermicelli adding curd.The following ingredients are needed to prepare Curd Vermicelli /Thayir Semiya.
Ingredients:
Rice Vermicelli.  -2cup
Curd whisked.    -1/2 cup
Urad dal.             -1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds.    -1tsp
Green chillies.     -3
Curry leaves.       -few
Coriander leaves.-few
Sugar.                  -1tsp
Salt.                     -to taste
Coconut oil.        -1tbsp

Instructions:
Boil 3 cup of water in a vessel. Add little salt into the boiled hot water and switch off the flame. Add rice vermicelli into the boiled hot water in the vessel and soak completely in boiled water for 5 minutes or till vermicelli turns soft. Strain the rice vermicelli. Add sugar, adjust little salt and mix well and keep aside.

Method:
1). Heat coconut oil in a wide bottom pan. add urad dal and saute well. When urad dal starts to change the colour splutter mustard seeds. Add half slit green chillies and curry leaves into the pan and saute well.

2). Add boiled rice vermicelli into the pan and give a good mix. Cover and cook rice vermicelli for few minutes. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Switch off the flame and allow the cooked rice vermicelli to cool.

3). Once cooled add 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup whisked curd into the pan and mix with the cooked rice vermicelli.

A very tasty Curd Vermicelli / Thayir Semiya is ready to serve.

Raw Nendran Banana Skin Stir Fry.

 Banana skin stir fry is a very tasty side dish made with raw nendran banana skin goes well with steamed rice. The following ingredients are needed to prepare Raw Nendran Banana Skin Stir Fry.

Ingredients:
Raw nendran banana skin.-10
Red chilli powder.            -1tsp
Asafoetida /Hing powder.-1tsp
Mustard seeds.                 -1/2 tsp
Salt.                                  - to taste
Coconut oil.                     -1tbsp

Method:
1). Heat 1tbsp coconut oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add red chilli powder and asafoetida (hing powder) into the pan and saute well.

2). Add chopped raw nendran banana skin, required salt and 3/4 cup water into the pan and saute well. Cover and cook on low flame till the banana skin is cooked well and becomes soft. Once the water completely absorbed switch off the flame.

Raw Nendran Banana Skin Stir Fry is ready to serve with steamed rice.

Vazhapindi Pachadi / Banana Stem Pachadi.

 Vazhapindi pachadi is a coconut and curd based banana stem curry adding freshly ground coconut red chilly mustard paste and goes well with rice.The following ingredients are needed to prepare vazhapindi pachadi / Banana stem Pachadi

Ingredients:
Banana stem. -1cup chopped
Curd.             -1cup
Salt.              - to taste

For grinding Coconut Red chilly Mustard Masala Paste:
Grated coconut.       -1 cup
Roasted red chillies.-4
Mustard seeds.        -1tsp

For Tempering:
Mustard seeds.-1tsp
Dry red chilly. -2
Curry leaves.  -1sprig
Coconut oil.   -2 tsp

Method:
1). Chop vazhapindi (banana stem) into thin round pieces. Remove the fiber in between the banana stem pieces using your fingers. Finely chop the thinly chopped round pieces of banana stem. Apply little salt and keep aside. 

2). Grind grated coconut, roasted red chillies and mustard seeds to a smooth paste adding little water. Keep aside the ground coconut mustard paste.

3). In a vessel add finely chopped banana stem pieces. Add freshly ground coconut red chilly mustard paste into the vessel and mix well. Whisk curd without lumps and add it into the vessel and mix well.

4). Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a small pan for tempering. Splutter 1tsp mustard seeds. Add dry red chillies and curry leaves into the pan and fry in oil for a second and switch off the flame.

5). Pour the tempering into the vazhapindi pachadi / banana stem pachadi in the vessel and mix well.

Vazhapindi Pachadi / Banana Stem Pachadi is ready to serve with rice.

Dali Ambat / Mixed Vegetable Dal Curry

 Dali ambat is a very tasty konkani style coconut based mixed vegetable dal curry with onion seasoning.The following ingredients are needed to prepare Dali Ambat / Mixed vegetable Dal Curry.
Ingredients:
Tur dal.                -1/2 cup
Yam.                    -a small piece
Potato.                 -1
Drumstick.           -1
Brinjal.                 -2 small
Ivy gourd.            -4
Yellow cucumber.-1 cup chopped
Onion.                  -1
Salt.                      -to taste

For grinding Coconut Masala Paste:-
Grated coconut.-1 cup
Dry red chillies. -6 or 8
Tamarind.          -a small piece
Coconut oil.      -1tsp

For Seasoning:
Coconut oil. -2 tsp
Onion.          -1 large finely chopped

Instructions:
1). Wash and chop drumstick, brinjal, ivy gourd, yellow cucumber and onion into medium thick pieces and keep aside the chopped vegetables.

2). Chop potato and yam into medium cubed pieces. Wash and pressure cook tur dal along with chopped potato, chopped yam pieces and enough water to cook for 3 whistles or till soft. Keep aside the cooked tur dal potato yam mixture.

3). Heat 1tsp coconut oil in a small pan and roast dry red chillies. Grind grated coconut along with roasted red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste. Keep aside the ground coconut masala paste.

Method:
1). In a wide bottom pan add chopped drumstick pieces, chopped ivy gourd, chopped brinjal, chopped yellow cucumber and chopped onion. Add enough water to cook the vegetables. Boil and cook the vegetables till soft on low flame.

2). Add cooked tur dal potato yam mixture and required salt into the pan. Mix well and boil for 2 minute on low flame.

3). Add ground coconut masala paste into the pan and mix with cooked vegetables. Boil for a minute and switch off the flame.

4). Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a small pan for seasoning. Add 1 finely chopped onion into the pan and fry in oil till onion becomes light brown. Switch off the flame and pour the onion seasoning into the mixed vegetable dal curry in the pan.

Dali Ambat / Mixed Vegetable Dal Curry is ready to serve with rice.

Muskmelon Milkshake.

Muskmelon milkshake is a tasty and refreshing drink mainly served in summer to beat the heat. Muskmelon milkshake is made with muskmelon chunks, sugar, boiled and cooled milk. Muskmelon is a sweet fruit with soft flesh and have a capability to maintain cooling effect in our body.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Muskmelon Milkshake.

Ingredients:

Musk melon.         -1/ 2
Sugar.                     -2 tbsp
Boiled Milk.           -3/4 cup
Cardamom powder.-1tsp
Ice cubes.              - few (optional)

Method:

1). Cut the muskmelon into halves, discard the seeds and remove the outer skin. Chop the muskmelon into small chunks and keep aside.

2). Boil 3/4 cup of milk and allow the boiled milk to cool and keep aside.

3). In a blender add the muskmelon chunks, sugar and blend a smooth puree. 

4). Transfer the puree to a large bowl. Add boiled and cooled milk into the bowl. Mix the milk with muskmelon puree. Add cardamom powder into the bowl and mix well. Check the sweetness and add little more sugar if you need and mix well.

5). Pour the muskmelon milkshake into serving glasses.Add ice cubes on top if you like. Muskmelon Milkshake is ready to drink. 

Taro Root Potato Coconut Milk Curry.

 Taro root potato coconut milk curry is a very tasty and easy to prepare delicious gravy dish made with potato, taro root and instant coconut milk goes well with rice.The following ingredients are needed to prepare Taro root Potato Coconut Milk Curry.

Ingredients:
Potato.             -1 large
Taro root.         -4
Green chillies. -4
Coconut milk. -3/4 cup
Mustard seeds.-1tsp
Cumin seeds.  -1/2 tsp
Curry leaves.  -1 sprig
Asafoetida.     -1/2 tsp
Salt.                -to taste
Coconut oil.   -2 tsp

Instructions:
1). Peel the outer skin of potato and chop it into 1 inch thick lengthy pieces. Peel the outer skin of taro root and chop them into 1 inch thick lengthy pieces. Half slit green chillies.Keep aside.

2). In a bowl add 25 gm instant coconut milk powder and 3/4 cup of water and mix well without lumps. Keep aside the instant coconut milk.

Method:
1). Wash the chopped potato and taro root pieces in water and drain water . In a vessel add the chopped potato, chopped taro root sand 1 and 1/2 cup of water. Boil and cook on low flame. After 10 minutes add half slit green chillies and required salt into the vessel and cook on low flame till the potato and taro roots become soft.

2). Add instant coconut milk into the vessel and mix with the cooked potato and taro roots.Once the boiling bubbles starts to appear switch off the flame.

3). Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a small pan for tempering and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add curry leaves and asafoetida into the pan and saute well. Switch off the flame and pour the above tempering into the curry in the vessel.

A very tasty and delicious Taro Root Potato Coconut Milk Curry is ready to serve with rice.

Beetroot Masala

 Beetroot masala is a delicious side dish made with beetroot and potato goes well with chapathi, dosa, phulka and steamed rice.The following ingredients are needed to prepare Beetroot Masala.

Ingredients:
Beetroot.              -1
Potato.                  -2
Onion.                  -2
Green chilly.        -3
Ginger chopped.  -1tsp
Curry leaves.        -1sprig
Turmeric powder. -1/4tsp
Red chilli powder.-1tsp
Asafoetida.           -1/2 tsp
Lemon juice.        -1/2 of a lemon
Urad dal.              -1tsp
Chana dal.            -1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds.     -1tsp
Cumin seeds.        -1tsp
Fennel seeds.        -1tsp
Dry red chilly.       -2
Salt.                       -to taste
Oil.                        -1tbsp
Water.                    -as required

Instructions:
1). Boil beetroot and potato in sufficient water till soft. Peel the boiled beetroot and potato and mash together without lumps and keep aside.

2). Slit green chillys. Finely chop onion and ginger. Keep aside.

Method:
1). Heat 1tbsp oil in a wide bottom pan. Add urad dal and chana dal into the pan and saute well. Splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds.Add broken dry red chillys into the pan and saute in oil.

2). Add slit green chillies, curry leaves, chopped ginger and saute well.

3). Add finely chopped onion and required salt into the pan and saute well.

4). Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and asafoetida into the pan and mix well.

5). Add boiled and mashed beetroot potato mixture and little water into the pan and mix well.

6). Lastly add lemon juice and mix with all the ingredients in the pan and switch off the flame.

Beetroot Masala is ready to serve with steamed rice, dosa, phulka and chapathi.

Green gram Potato Curry / Kerala Cherupayar Curry

Cherupayar curry is a kerala style green gram curry adding potato and freshly ground coconut cumin green chilly masala paste and goes well with puttu and rice.The following ingredients are needed to prepare Green gram Potato Curry /Kerala Cherupayar Curry.

Ingredients:
Green gram /Cherupayar. -1 cup
Potato.                  -1 (medium size)
Green chilly.         -1
Garlic.                   -2 cloves
Red chilli powder. -1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder.  -1/4tsp
Salt.                        - to taste

For grinding Coconut Cumin Green chilly Paste:
Grated coconut.-1cup
Cumin seeds.    -1/2 tsp
Green chilly..    -3

For Tempering:
Mustard seeds.   -1tsp
Dry Red chillies.-2
Shallots.              - 6
Garlic cloves..     -3 
Curry leaves.       -1 sprig
Coconut oil.        -1tsp

Instructions:
1). Wash and soak green gram /cherupayar in water for 8 hours or overnight.

2). Peel, wash and chop potatoes into small cubed pieces. Pressure cook the potato cubes along with soaked green gram,1 green chilly 2 garlic cloves,1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilly powder and sufficient water for 3 whistles. Keep aside the cooked green gram potato mixture.

3). Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds, 2 green chillies in a mixer grinder to a fine paste.Keep aside the  freshly ground coconut cumin green chilly masala paste.

Method:
1). In a wide bottom pan add the pressure cooked green gram potato mixture, required salt and 1 and 1/2 cup of water and boil on low flame.

2). Add freshly ground coconut cumin green chilly masala paste and 1 cup of water into the pan and mix with the cooked green gram potato mixture.The curry will thicken as it cools. Add required water and adjust the consistency. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes on low flame or until raw smell of the masala goes out and stir well in between. Switch off the flame.

3). Heat 1tsp coconut oil in a small pan for tempering and splutter mustard seeds. Add broken dry red chilly pieces and curry leaves into the pan and fry in oil for a second. Add garlic cloves and shallots into the pan and saute well till garlic and shallots becomes light brown. Switch of the flame.

4). Pour the tempering into the green gram potato curry  cherupayar curry in the pan and mix well.Transfer the cherupayar curry to a serving bowl.

Green gram Potato Curry / Kerala Cherupayar Curry is ready to serve with puttu or rice. 

Edamame Stir Fry / Tender Soya bean Stir Fry.

 

Edamame is a young green soya bean rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers and are a good source of protein, iron and calcium. Edamame stir fry is an easy to make tasty and healthy side dish made with shelled edamame /young soy beans goes well with rice, chapati etc. The following ingredients are needed to prepare Edamame Stir Fry.

Ingredients:
Shelled edamame.-250 gm
Grated coconut.    -2 tbsp
Red chilly powder.-1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds.      -1tsp
Cumin seeds.         -1/2 tsp
Salt.                       -to taste
Oil.                        -1tsp

Method:-
1). Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

2). Add edamame beans, red chilly powder and required salt into the pan. Sprinkle little water and mix well. Cover and cook the edamame beans till done.

3). Add grated coconut and mix with all the ingredients in the pan and switch off the flame.

Edamame Stir Fry is ready to serve as a side dish with rice.

Green Brinjal Masala Stir Fry.

 

Green brinjal masala stir fry is a simple and easy to make delicious side dish and goes well as a side dish with rice.The following ingredients are needed to prepare Green Brinjal Masala Stir Fry.

Ingredients:
Green Brinjal.      - 4
Turmeric powder. -1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder.-1tsp
Coriander powder. -1tsp
Asafoetida.            -1tsp
Mustard seeds.       -1tsp
Urad dal.                -1/2 tsp
Methi seeds.          - 8 seeds only
Salt.                       - to taste
Cooking oil.           -2 tsp

Instructions:
1). Remove the stem and wash the green brinjals and cut them into two halves lengthwise and chop into small pieces.

2). In a mixing bowl add the chopped green brinjal pieces. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder, asafoetida (hing powder) and required salt into the mixing bowl and mix with the chopped green brinjal pieces using your hand and keep aside for 15 minutes to marinate the green brinjal pieces.

Method:-
1). Heat 2 tsp oil in a wide bottom pan. Add urad dal and saute well.Splutter mustard seeds and methi seeds.

2). Add the marinated green brinjal pieces into the pan and saute well on low flame.Add 1/4 cup of water into the pan and mix well. Cover and cook the green brinjal pieces till soft on low flame. Saute in between to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.

3). Once the green brinjal pieces become soft and the water is fully absorbed switch off the flame.Transfer the green brinjal masala stir fry to a serving plate.

Very tasty Green Brinjal Masala Stir Fry is ready to serve hot with rice.