MALAI EGG KORMA

NOTE: Eggs are like best friends who come in handy when we have an empty fridge.The recipe given below is my favourite dish which is best eaten with ghee roasted bread,butter roasted pav or pulao
Serves: 4

U need:                                             KORMA MASALA
Boiled eggs: 4                                 
Onion paste: 1/2 cup                           Cinnamon stick:2
Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsp                     Cardamom: 2(small)
Cashew paste: 1/4 cup                         Aniseed: 1 small
Korma masala: 2 tsp                            Nutmeg powder: 1/4 tsp
Ghee: 3 tablsp                                    Jeera:1&1/4 tsp
Salt                                                   Gota dhaniya: 2tsp
Red chilli powder; 1 tsp                        whole pepper: 1/2 tsp
Tomato: 2                                          Saffron:1/4 tsp
Sugar: 3/4 tsp                                        Cloves : 2
Bay leaf:1
Coriander leaves: 3 tsp
Kasoori methi:1 tsp

METHOD:
1.Except the saffron strands and the nutmeg powder,dry roast the other korma ingredients and grind to a fine powder.Mix in the saffron and nutmeg powder.
2.Peel the egg shells.Heat 1 tabslp ghee and fry the eggs till they are brown coated.
3.Remove the eggs.Add the balance ghee. When hot add the bay leaf. Saute.To this add the onion paste along with ginger and garlic paste.Stir well sprinkling some water every now and then till the onion are lightly cooked.Add chopped tomatoes.Continue cooking.Add 1 tsp coriander leaves.
4.Now add red chilli powder,korma masala,sugar and continue stirring.Keep sprinkling water.Cook till the masala is well cooked and the ghee starts oozing out.Add half of the cashew paste.
5.Stir well till the paste blends.Now add salt and continue stirring.Now add 1&1/2 cup water and simmer the gravy for 8 to 10 mins. Slit the eggs and add to the gravy.Simmer further till the gravy starts to thicken.Add the balance cashew paste.Lightly roast the kasoori methi,crush it and add to the simmering gravy.Switch off the gas and cover with a lid.
6. Transfer to a serving bowl.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
P.S: You get good quality readymade korma masala which you can use.Tastes very good.
Bonn!!!Appetite!!!!

SWEET MANGO AND SOUR MANGO CURD PACHADI

NOTE: Pachadi is the south Indian Raita where a paste of coconut and green chillies is used to give that typical southern flavour along with tadka of mustard seeds and curry leaves.This recipe goes very well as an accompaniment with rice and dal kootu and some vegetable curry,with some pappads too......

U need:
Sweet ripe mango:1
Raw mango; 1/2 cup
Grated coconut: 1/4 cup
Green chillies: 3
Jaggery: 1 tabslp
Coconut oil
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Beaten curd: 1/2 cup
Curry leaves
Haldi: 1/2 tsp
Broken red chillies: 2
Method:
1. Chop the sweet mango with the skin.If the skin is a little bitter then peel the skin before chopping.Remove pulp from the seed.
2.Grind together coconut,green chillies,1/2 tsp mustard seeds to a smooth paste using a little curd.
3.Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds,broken red chillies and sauté quickly.Add 1 tsp chopped curry leaves.
4.Now add the chopped sweet mango slices and sauté. Add.Add the raw mango slices and stir well.Add haldi powder and jaggery. Add 3/4th cup water and simmer. Add salt to taste.
5. Once the mangoes are cooked ,mash them a little to make them pulpy.Add the ground paste.Stir well.Simmer for few mins.
6.Now add the beaten curd and stir well for few mins.Off the gas.The pachadi should be thick.
7.Transfer to a serving bowl.Heat 1 tsp coconut oil and toss a few curry leaves.Pour this over the curd mango pachadi and serve as an accompaniment.

LAUKI MOONG DAL KOOTU

NOTE: Lauki/Doodhi which is very popular up North,West and East, is not much used in Souther cuisine. It is a very versatile vegetable. Try making this simple kootu where no coconut is used.

U need:
Lauki ( Sorakkai): 1 small or medium tender
Green peas: 1/2 cup
Moong dal: 1/4 cup
Green chillies: 3
Rasam powder: 1 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Tomatoes: 1 chopped
Coriander leaves: 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee: 2 tablsp
Onion: 1 chopped fine
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds:1/2 tsp
Broken red chillies: 2
Lemon juice:1/2 tsp optional

Method:
Lightly fry the moong dal and pressure cook with 1/2 tsp turmeric.
2. Clean and peel the lauki and chop to small pieces.Mince green chillies.
3. Heat ghee in a kadai. Add the broken red chillies,mustard seeds.Once the seeds sputter add the chopped onions and minced green chillies. Sauté well
4. Now add the tomatoes and continue stirring.Add rasam powder,salt,red chilli powder and 1 tsp coriander leaves.Continue Sauté.
5.Add the green peas and fry.Add the chopped lauki and stir well.Add 1/2 cup water.Cover and cook till the lauki and peas are cooked. Lauki will give out its own water,so add less water while cooking.
6.Remove lid.Add the cooked moong dal and mix well.Add the balance coriander leaves and simmer for another 2 to 3 mins.
7. Add lemon juice,off the gas and transfer to a bowl.
8.Serve hot with rotis or rice

Bonn!!!!!!!!!Appetite!!!!!!!!!!!

MAMBAZA PULLICHERRY

note: A Kerala/Palaghat speciality this dish tastes delicious when eaten with rice, beans or karamani thoran and fresh pappadams.I dedicate this dish to my mother-in-law who was a wonderful chef and from whom I learnt a lot of Palaghat dishes.Special thanks to my elder sister-in-law Ratna Akka too.
Over ripe mangoes taste the best.Instead of raw mango you can add 1/2 cup chopped white pumpkin.

U need:
Ripe mango: 1 big(the riper the tastier)
Raw mango: 1/2 cup( slices with skin)
Red chillies: 2
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Slat to tatste
Jaggery: 1 tsp
Coconut: 1/4 cup grated
Jeera: 1 tsp
Oil for tadka(here coconut oil is the best for this dish)
Mustard seeds:1/2 tsp
Methi seeds:1/4 tsp
Curry leaves: 2 tsp
Red chilli: 1broken
Curd: 1 cup

Method:
1.In a cooking pan put 3/4 cup water.To this add chopped ripe mango pieces along with the seed.If the skin is sweet you can add the skin,otherwise peel the fruit and squeeze out the juice and add to the water. Add the raw mango pieces and put it on gas medium heat.Remove the seed after 5 mins of cooking.
2.To this add turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
3.Simmer for few mins.Add salt. Grind together coconut,jeera,red chillies to a smooth paste using some curd to grind.
4.Once the pulp is cooked and the water content reduced add the ground paste.Stir well.Add 1 tsp curry leaves.If using white pumpkin you can boil the pumpkin with a little water first before adding to the mango pulp
5. Now add the curd and quickly stir well.Add jaggery. Once you see the pulicherry slightly thickening( 2 to 3 mins),off the gas and remove from the stove.Remember don't boil too much otherwise the curd-coconut will split.
6.In a small pan heat oil.When hot add broken red chillies,mustard seeds,curry leaves and methi seeds,As the mustard sputter add to the pulicherry and cover the dish with a lid.
7.Serve with hot rice and a thoran or curry of your choicealong with pappadams
Bonn!!Appetit!!!!
P.S: While grinding coconut if needed you can add 1/2 to 3/4th tsp of rice powder as thickening agent

ALU CHOLA SOUTHERN STYLE

NOTE: We have all enjoyed the northern method of Chola,Channa recipes.Now enjoy making this resipe south style.Tastes just yum

U need:
White chola: 1 cup soaked overnight
Potatoes: 1 big
Rasam powder: 2 tsp
Garlic: 2 pods minced fine
Curry leaves: 2 tsp
Tomatoes: 1 medium chopped fine
Onion: 1 big chopped fine
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Ghee: 3 tabslp
Salt to taste
Kitchen king masala: 1 tsp
Coriander leaves: 3 tsp
Asefodita: pinch
Jeera: 1 tsp

Method:
1. Wash well and pressure cook the chola with pinch of cooking soda.
2.Peel the potato and dice to 6 pieces.Soak in water.
3. Chop fine the onions.
4.Heat 2 tablsp ghee in a kadai. When hot add 1 tsp jeera,asefodita and sauté. Add the minced onions and garlic.Stir well for few mins.Add the rasam powder along with 1 tsp curry leaves.Now add the tomatoes.Cook ill the tomatoes soften.
5. Drain water and add the diced potatoes. Sauté well. Add 2 tsp coriander leaves and salt.
Now add 1/2 cup water and cook till the potatoes are half cooked.Add the cooked chola. Stir well.
6. Simmer till the potatoes are cooked and the gravy thickens.Add 1/2 tsp kitchen king masala. 
7.Heat the balance ghee in a small kadai. Add the remaining curry leaves,red chilli powder and 1/2 tsp kitchen king masala .Pour over the simmering alu-chola and cover with a lid.Off the gas.
8 Open lid transfer the simmering curry to a serving bowl.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
Bonn!!!!Appetite!!!!!

BRINJAL AND CHANA DAL SABJI

NOTE: Simple and very easy to make and simply delicious to eat. You can make this dish with white and green brinjal too.

U need:
Purple brinjal : 2 cups cleaned and diced to pieces
Potato: 1 medium washed, peeled and diced
Channa dal: 1/2 cup soaked for 20 mins
Garlic pod:2 peeled and chopped fine
Green chillies: 4 minced fine
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Tomato: 1 chopped fine
Lemon juice: 2 tsp
Curry powder: 1 tsp 
      or
Dhaniya powder: 1 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Ghee: 2 tablsp
Oil to fry the brinjals and potato
Salt to taste
Sugar: 3/4 th tsp(optional)
Jeera: 1 tsp

Method:
1. Drain the water from the soaked channa dal and pressure cook the dal with 3 tablsp water and turmeric.
When cooked,cool and mash well with a spoon.Add a little lemon juice, little minced green chillies and keep aside.
2. Heat enough oil in a kadai.When hot quickly fry the brinjals first till crisp and then fry the potatoes till brown.Drain excess oil from both and keep in a bowl.
3. In another kadai heat ghee.Add jeera and saute.Add minced garlic,continue stirring.Add the remaining minced chillies and the curry powder/dhaniya powder. Stir well.Add tomatoes.Cook till the tomatoes are soft.
3. Add the fried brinjals and the fried potatoes and cook further.Add salt and sugar. Now add 1/2 cup water and cook till the potatoes are done.Add the mashed channa dal and red chilli powder.
4. Continue cooking till the vegetables and dal is well blended.Add 1 tsp lemon juice.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with rotis or parathas.

BHINDI KADHI

      

NOTE: Besan or gram flour is the one of the most versatile flour used in Indian cooking and the best quality of this flour is that it blends well into dishes without giving any odour.It is widely used in Western India more in Gujrat and Maharashtra.The humble and tasty Kadhi is one such dish.Presenting you Bhindi Kadhi which is yummy and can be had with rotis and khichdi or even plain rice.

U need;
Besan: 1 tabslp
Curd: 1&1/2 cups
Fresh bhindis: 1/2 cup (cut to two)
Ginger grated:2 tsp
Oil: as needed
Green chillies minced: 3 tsp
Red chillies: 2 broken
Curry leaves: 1 tsp chopped fine
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Haldi powder: 1/2 tsp
Jaggery: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Jeera: 1 tsp
Methi seeds: few
Cloves: 4
Asefodita: 1/2 tsp
Water: 2 cups
Method:
1.In a bow add the besan and 1/2 tsp salt,add beaten curd and mix well .Ensure there are no lumps.Add the haldi,red chilli powder and beat well.
2. Heat 2 tablsp oil in a kadai. Fry the bhindis till they are light brown.Remove from kadai and set aside.
3.Heat 3 tabslp oil in the same kadai.When hot lower heat add the cloves,asefodita ,jeera and quickly sauté.Add the grated ginger,minced green chillies,red chillies,methi seeds and curry leaves.Continue stirring. Add the jaggery. Now pour the prepared besan and continue stirring. Add 2 cups water,salt and simmer gently .As the besan starts to boil and thickening add the fried bhindis and 1/2 cup water.Simmer on low heat till the kadi starts to thickening again and the bhindis are cooked. Add some more curry leaves if you want..The more the kadi simmers,the better the taste. If you want you can add some more jaggery.
4.Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with rotis or rice.This kadhi tastes best with khichdi.
Bonn!!!Appetite!!!