Sausages in tomato gravy

You will require:

Sausages : 400 gms

Tomatoes : 2

Onion : 1

Garlic : 1 clove

salt to taste

garam masala : 1/2 tsp

red chilly powder : 1/2 tsp

corriander powder : 1/2 tsp

oil : 2 tbsp

water : 1/2 cup

Chop the tomatoes and onions finely. Heat pan and saute the onions in 1 tbsp oil till soft. Add the tomatoes, chopped garlic, and fry further for a minute or two. Now add the powders and fry for another minute. Add the water and required salt and let it simmer.

cut the sausages into half or three pieces and fry in 1 tbsp oil till brown. It should be done on a low flame.

Add sausages to the tomato gravy and stir. Let it simmer till well blended. The gravy should be thick. Garnish with fresh corriander leaves and serve hot.

Bombay Toast

This is an easy and popular dish, very suitable for breakfast or evening tea. It is also known as the french toast. Some like it less sweet. So they can omit the sugar and increase the quantity of the salt.

You will need:

1. Bread slices : 5

2. Egg : 1

3. Milk : 1 cup

4. Sugar : 2 tsp

5. Salt : a pinch

6. vanilla extract : 1/2 tsp

7. Butter/oil : 2 tbsp

Mix in thoroughly the egg, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla essense. transfer it onto a shallow dish or plate.

Heat the frying pan and drizzle in some butter or oil.

Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture so that both the sides are equally coated. fry them indivudally in the frying pan, turning both sides till it becomes a golden brown.

serve hot either plain, or with honey.

Chicken Biryani

Biriyani's are a great one-dish meal and a favourite of all. Here is an easy pressure cooker version of the popular dish.

The ratio of chicken and rice is 1 kg : 1 kg. this easily serves around 8 people.

Ingredients:

Chicken (washed and cut into med. sized pieces) : (around 8-10 pieces)

rice (Basmati or Jeerakashala/Jeerakachemba) : 2 cups

water : 4 cups

onions chopped : 2 med

tomatoes chopped : 3 med

green chillies (whole) : 4

shallots (optional) : 1/2 cup

garlic : 6 flakes

ginger : 2 inch piece

cloves : 5

cinnamon : 3

cardamom (elaichi) : 4

chilly powder : 2 tsp

corriander powder : 2 tsp

turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp

garam masala : 1 tsp

salt to taste

cooking oil : 5 - 7 Tbsp

Ghee : 2 tbsp

corriander leaves chopped : 1/2 cup

mint leaves chopped : 1/2 cup

juice of 1/2 a lemon (removes the stickyness of rice)

Method

wash, and soak the rice for around 20 minutes. drain and keep aside.

cursh the garlic and shallots(small onion) and keep aside.

make a paste of ginger, clove, cardamom, and cinnamon, and keep aside.

wash the chicken pieces and keep aside.

Heat oil directly on the pressure cooker and saute the chopped onions till they turn soft. add the crushed garlic-shallot mixture and fry further for around 2 minutes. Now add the ginger-spices paste and fry till it becomes light brown. add the chopped tomatoes and fry further till the mixture turns sloppy.

to this add the chicken pieces, chilly powder, turmeric powder, corriander powder, and salt. keep frying for a while till the chicken pieces are properly coated with the masala. to this, add the water and wait till it boils.

now you can add the drained rice, corriander and mint leaves and ghee. squeeze half a lemon over this mixture, and close the cooker. you should not put the weight.

after steam comes thickly through the vent, put the weight, and wait for 15 seconds. switch off the flame and let it stand undisturbed for atleast an hour!

Your tasty chicken biryani is ready to be eaten... You may garnish it with fresh corriander leaves or fried onions and nuts if you desire. This goes well with a plain onion raita and crispy papadums.

Chole Bhature

This is another tasty dish, popular with everyone all over India. Bhatura is a delicious fried Indian bread, which is served with a chick-peas curry, slightly tangy in taste.

Bhatura

Refined flour or Maida : 4 tea cups
Egg : 1
Yogurt or curd : 5 tbsp
Salt : 1 tsp
Baking powder : 1 tsp
Warm water : ¼ cup
Cooking oil : to deep fry


Seive the flour, baking powder, and salt on to a large plate or bowl. Make a depression in the centre, and break in the egg. Add the yogurt and knead. Add the warm water as required and knead firmly into a soft pliable dough. Cover with a damp cloth, and keep aside for 2 hours.

Make balls (lemon sized) of this dough (makes around 12-13 balls), roll out on a floured board and deep fry in hot oil. Unlike poori’s the bhatura is rolled out slightly thick. When immersed in hot oil, it will puff up. Fry to a golden brown, remove and serve hot with chola.

Chola or Chick peas curry

Chick peas boiled : 3 cups
(Soak overnight and pressure cook the next day with required salt and ¼ tsp baking soda)

Onions : 2 medium sized, chopped
Tomatoes : 2 med sized chopped
Green chillies : 3 whole
Ginger : 1 tbsp. chopped
Garlic : 1 tbsp chopped
Lemon : one half
Chilly powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : ¼ tsp
Jeera powder (cumin) : 1 tsp
Garam masala : ½ tsp
Cumin seeds : ½ tsp
Salt : as required
Coriander leaves : 2 tbsp chopped
Oil : 3 tsp

Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, and add the cumin seeds. After they splutter, add the chopped onions and whole green chillies and sauté till light brown.
Add the chopped ginger and garlic and fry further for a few minutes.
Now add the chilly, coriander, turmeric and jeera powders and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till sloppy. You can add a bit of salt to hasten the process.
Put in the boiled chick peas or channa and add the garam masala and required salt. let it cook for some time. add the coriander leaves and squeeze half a lemon for a tangy taste. You may garnish it with onion rings and lemon quarters.
Serve hot with Bhatura.

Today happens to be Thiruvaathira, a festival celebrated by the Hindu womenfolk of Kerala. As like most other festivals, this one too has religious origins and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

This festival is marked by two unique recipes, Thiruvaathira Puzhukku, and Koova Paayasam which are considered an important part of the day's cuisine, and are prepared with much devotion.

Traditionally, no accurate measurements are taken for the same. perhaps that is the reason why it comes out so very tasty and unique each year. do try them out. they are very good for the health too and are a store house of nutrients.

Arrowroot Pudding (Koova Paayasam, or Koova Varakiyathyu)

You will need

• 2 cups of Arrowroot powder

(traditionally, the roots are washed, and the milk is extracted from it by grinding with water. it is then sun-dried and stored for a whole year).

• 1/2kilo jaggery, melted in two cups water and sieved for any impurities



• 4 cups water (approx)



• 1 cup frest coconut scrapings



• 3-4 tbsp Ghee

Mix in the Arrowroot powder with water and the jaggery syrup. cook on low flame, stirring all the while. when it becomes a thick mixture, add the coconut scrapings and the ghee, and stir further till it becomes a really thick glazed, mass. It is delicious either hot or cold. traditionally, it is served with Kerala Papads and Puzhukku in plantain leaves.

Do try it out sometimes. maybe in smaller quantities. the quantity of the ingrediants may have to be slightly altered according to your needs. especially the water and the amount of jaggery. but the end result is really yum! you can substitute the jaggery with white sugar. but the traditional one is better, though the sugary one gives out a more appealing jade green colour.

Another dish that is prepared for Thiruvaathira is Puzhukku, which is fairly easy considering the nutiritious factor. traditionally, it is prepared with a variety of root vegetables, like yam, koorka, colacassia, kaachil, kaavithu; pulses like cheru payar, vella payar, muthira, and vegetables like pumpkin, raw banana, gourds, string beans, avarakka, etc. Avoid all 'english' vegetables. raw jackfruit is a must.

just chop them into medium sized pieces and cook them in salted water with turmeric and chilly powder. you may have to pressure cook the pulses and root veggies. just take care that the vegetables are not overcooked or mashed up. when everything is well cooked. meanwhile crush some freshly grated coconut and green chillies. add it to the mixture. keep stirring for a couple of minutes more. remove from fire and mix in 1 tbsp coconut oil or any cooking oil of your choice and a few sprigs of curry leaves. serve hot.

Pulinkari ( a vegetable curry with dal and coconut )

Ingredients

Ash gourd : 1 cup cubed
Boiled tuvar dal : 1 cup
Water : 2 cups
Tamarind extract : 3 tbsp approx (watery consistency)
Turmeric powder : ¼ tsp
Chilly powder : 2 tsp
Coconut : ½ cup grated
Cumin seeds : ¼ tsp
Salt : to taste

For tempering:

Mustard seeds : ½ tsp
Fenugreek seeds : ¼ tsp
Chopped onions : 2 tbsp
Curry leaves : 1 sprig
Oil : 2 tsp

Cook the cubed ash gourd pieces in 1 cup water along with turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt. Add in the boiled tuvar dal and cook further for a few minutes. Now add the tamarind extract and let it boil for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, grind the coconut and the cumin seeds in ½ cup water to a fine paste. Add it to the boiling mixture. Check for seasonings, and remove from fire, after it boils for a minute. You can add a little more water if you find the consistency too thick.

In a small pan, heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Add the curry leaves and the chopped onions. Fry till the onions are brown. Add it to the curry. Serve hot with boiled rice.

You can substitute the ash gourd for any other vegetables of your choice like yam, raw banana, drumstick, pumpkin, etc.

RAW BANANA AND FRENCH BEANS DRY FRY (kaaya-payar upperi)

Those of you who are away from your homeland, will certainly know the value of those mouth watering and tasty dishes prepared by your mother. No exotic dish on this planet can surpass those simple down-to-earth meals cooked with the utmost love and affection, by your loved ones back home.
I am featuring two such recipes that are considered to be very common here, in Kerala. One is a curry which accompanies rice, and the other is a dry vegetable fry, or upperi or thoran as it is called in Malayalam. These are downright simple to prepare and nutritious too, for what they contain. Familiar or not, do try them out.

Kerala style raw banana and French beans fry (kaaya-payar upperi)

Ingredients:

Raw banana (kaaya ) : 1 big, cut into small pieces
French beans (payar) : 1 cup, chopped
Shallots (sambar onions) : ½ cup crushed
Turmeric powder : ¼ tsp
Chilly powder : 1 tsp
Mustard seeds : ½ tsp
Curry leaves : 1 sprig
Oil : 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Steam or par boil the chopped vegetables and keep aside.
In a thick bottomed pan, heat the oil, and splutter the mustard seeds. Put in the curry leaves and add the crushed shallots. Sauté till they turn a light brown colour. Lower the flame and add the chilly and the turmeric powder. Fry for a minute. Now add the steamed vegetables and the required amount of salt. mix thoroughly and sprinkle a little water if required. Cover and cook in low heat for five minutes so that it absorbs all the flavours. serve hot with rice and curry.

You can add in more vegetables like yam, beans, etc. if you like.