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.