kathirikkai kuzhambu

Ingredients:
kathrikkai (brinjal) - 6 (250 gms)
sambar onion - 12
jeera - 1/2 tsp
fennel seeds (sombu) - 1tsp
pepper corns - 1/4 tsp
dry chillies - 5
coconut grated - 1 cup
garlic- 6 cloves
tamarind - small lemon sized
medium sized onion - 2
dhaniya powder- 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds -1/4 tsp
salt
oil for frying
sambar powder - 2 tsp

Method:
Wash and slice the brinjals into four(dont separate completely, the four pieces should be joined at the bottom) and put in salted water.
Grind the coconut, chilles, jeera, fennel seeds, pepper corns, garlic and the sambar onions together into a paste. Soak the tamarind in water and extract tamarind water. Take out the brinjals from water and apply salt and turmeric mixture on the inside. Fry slightly in oil and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let in splutter. Add the sliced onions and saute till soft. Add the slightly fried brinjals. Add the ground paste and saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder, dhaniya powder, sambar powder and mix well. Pour the tamarind water and let it simmer for 2 min. Then add enough water and salt. Let it boil and simmer for 5 min. Relish it with rice.

Mangalore chicken curry

Ingredients:
Chicken: 1 Kg
Coconut: 1
Onions: 2 sliced
Tomatoes: 3
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Dried red chilies: 5-6
Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp
cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
Poppy seeds: 1 tbsp
Peppercorns: 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 teaspoon
Cloves: 3-4
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Bay leaves: 2
Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Water: 2 cups
Oil: 1 tbsp

Method:
Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Keep it in the fridge for atleast 1/2 hr.
Dry roast the coconut, red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, pepper corns and fenugreek seeds and grind into a paste.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves and let it splutter. Add sliced onions and saute till its soft. Add the tomatoes and saute well. Then add the ground paste and mix well. Let it simmer for few min. Then add the marinated chicken and mix well. Close the lid and simmerr for few min so that the masala gets nicely into the chicken. Then add water and salt. Let it cook in low heat for till the chicken is cooked. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice.

Potato Patties

Ingredients:

Potatoes - medium sized 6
Egg - 1
jeera powder
salt
pepper powder
oil - 2 tbsp
Bread - 2 slices

Method:
Cook and smash the potatoes. Add jeera powder, pepper powder, salt and little hing to the potatoes. Beat the egg and add.
Break the bread slices into small crumbs. Take a spoon of potato mixture, make it into a ball. Flatten it with your fingers. Then coat it with bread crumbs on both sides. Heat oil in a pan and place the patties. Once one side is cooked turn over and cook the other side. When both the sides are golden brown remove from the pan. Serve with tomato sauce.

You can add minced chillies and onion for a more spicy patties.

Capsicum Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Capsicum - 2
Onion - 2
Tomato - 3
Ginger-Garlic paste - 2 tsp
chilli powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - a pinch
salt - 3 tsp or as per taste
oil - 2 tbsp

Dry Spices:
cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
clove - 4
cardamom - 2

Method:
Cut the onion capsicum in lengthwise 2 inch pieces. Cut the tomato lengthwise pieces.
Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the dry spices and let it splutter. Simmer the flame to medium. Add the onion and saute till soft. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the oil separates. Add the capsicum and saute for a min. Then add the tomatoes. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and mix well . Leave for a minute. Then add 4.5 cups of water and the rice. When the water boils close the lid. Switch off in one whistle. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

If cooking in a closed vessel, cook for 10 min in medium flame.

Sweet fruit cubes for kids

Ingredients:
Apple - 1
Orange - 2
Grapes - a bunch
Papaya - 1/4 of medium sized
Pineapple - 1/4 of medium sized
Pomegranate - 1
Banana - 1
Its basically all fruits you get...

Jaggery powdered - 2 tsp
Honey - 1 tsp

Method:

Cut all the fruits, except grapes and pomegranates though, into inch sized cubes. Add the jaggery and honey. Toss it nicely and its ready to serve.
Its very nutritious. The jaggery adds in extra sweetness along with iron and kids will love to eat a colorful fruit snack. And the honey helps to prevent cold and throat irritation.

You can sprinkle pepper if desired.

Leftover rice idli

Ingredients:

Left over rice - 1 cup
rava - 2 cups
onion - 2
green chillies - 4
carrot - 1
coriander leaves
salt
oil

How to make the idli:

Grind the left over rice in a mixer and transfer the rice to a mixing bowl. Dry roast the rava in a pan and add it to the rice. Cut the onions and chillies finely and add to the mixture. Then cut and add the coriander leaves. Grate the carrot and add it to the rice mixture. Add salt to taste. Grease the idli plates with oil. Pour 1 tbsp of the mixture in the idli plates. Let it steam for 15 min. Cool and remove.
Serve with coriander chutney. Kids will love a colorful idli.

Other options:

You can also grind the chillies with the leftover rice.
If green chilly is not there you can add chilli powder , idli podi or even little sambar powder.

Garlic chutney

Ingredients:

Garlic cloves - 20
Tamarind - a small ball
Dry red chillies - 4
Mustard seeds
Oil, salt

To prepare chutney:

Grind the garlic, chillies, tamarind and salt together in mixer. Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil is hot put the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the garlic mixture. Simmer the stove and keep for 2 min. This chutney compliments dosa and chappathi. You can store in the fridge and use for 3 days. Vary the chillies and tamarind according to your taste.

Coriander Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:
Tomatoes - 3
coriander leaves, cleaned - one handful
Green chillies - 3
Jeera - 1tsp
oil - 1tbsp
salt to taste

To make the chutney:
Cut the tomatoes into small pieces.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the jeera and let it to splutter. Then add the slit green chillies. Put the tomatoes and saute for 2 min. Simmer the flame and saute till the tomatoes become soft. Add the coriander leaves and saute for a minute. Let the mixture cool and then grind it in the mixer with salt.
This chutney goes well with dosa and chappathis.

Crispy Rava Onion Dosa

Ingredients:
dosa batter - 1 cup
rava - 2 cups
rice flour - 1 cup
green chillies - 4
onion - 2
coriander leaves
curry leaves
salt to taste
water
oil

To make crispy rava onion dosa:
Add rava and rice flour to the dosa batter. Cut the onion, green chillies, coriander leaves and curry leaves finely and add to the batter mixture. Add water so that the batter is in semi solid state (like for adai). Add salt to taste. Heat the dosa pan and pour 2tbsp of the batter and spread into a small circle. Add oil round the edges. Turn over and remove from pan when both sides are cooked. Serve hot with coconut chutney. Kids like it with sugar. The dosa is very tasty and crispy, it can be eaten without sidedish also.

Fish Fry

My mom makes very tasty fish fry that we just cannot stop eating. I learnt the recipe from her and here its for you too.


Ingredients:
Fish - 1kg (cut into pieces)
Chilli powder - 5 tsp
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Salt 3tsp
juice of one medium sized lemon
Oil for frying

To garnish:
coriander leaves
curry leaves
onion rings
slices of lemon

How to fry:

Marinate the fish with the chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice. Close and keep aside for minimum 1/2 hr. Then heat dosa tawa .Pour 2 tsp oil and spread all over. When the oil is heated simmer the flame. Keep 3-4 fish pieces and leave for 5 min. Then turn the pieces and leave for another 5 min. Remove when both the sides are golden brown in colour. Garnish with lemon, onion rings, coriander leaves and curry leaves.

Chicken biriyani

Ingredients:
2 lb chicken
2 cups basmati rice
1 or 2 bay leaves
2 1-inch long cinnamom sticks
7-8 cloves
15 garlic cloves
1 and 1/2 inch ginger
4 green chillies (varies according to individuals preference)
1 tsp jeera
onions- 2 medium sized (or 10-15 small sambar onions)
mint leaves - 1 bunch
coriander leaves - 1 bunch
chilli powder- 2tsp
Dhaniya powder – 1 tsp
Yogurt – 2tbsp
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
salt
oil
ghee 2 tsp

Marinating the chicken:
Clean the chicken, then slit the pieces slightly with knife here and there so that the masala gets nicely into it. In a big bowl add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp dhaniya powder, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tbsp yogurt, little salt and 1 tsp lemon juice. Mix well and then add the chicken pieces. Mix well so that masala gets on all chicken pieces. Keep aside for 1 hr. The longer the better. Can keep overnight also.

Paste 1:
Cut and fry 1 onion in oil and let it cool. Then make a paste of the cinnamon sticks, cloves, green chillies, ginger, garlic, jeera, and fried onions and keep aside.

Paste 2:
Clean the mint and coriander leaves. Fry then slightly with little oil. Cool and make it into a paste.

Wash and drain the water from rice. Add ghee in a pan and add the rice. Fry slightly on medium flame and keep aside.

Biriyani:
1. Heat oil (or ghee) in cooker. Add the bay leaves.
2. Then add onions and fry till soft.
3. Then add paste 1 and fry till the oil starts separating
4. Add paste 2 and fry for a min.
5. Add the marinated chicken and mix well. Keep the flame on medium. Let the masala and chicken mix well for 1-2 min. If required add little oil.
6. Add water (1.5 cups for 1 cup rice) and little more water for the chicken.
7. Add salt.
8. Add the rice and mix well.
9. Check the taste and add chilli powder and salt if necessary.
10. Close the lid and let it cook on medium flame for 2 whistles.