ADIPOLLI PALAKKAD AVIAL

INGREDIENTS

Beans cut 2 inch long               1 cup
Carrot cut 2 " long                    1 cup
Drumstick cut 2 " long            1
White pumpkin cut 2"long   1 cup
Yam cut 2 "long                         1 cup
Broad beans ,cut 2 "long       1 cup
Mango cut 2"long                    1 cup
Bitter gaurd  cut 2"long        1/2 cup
Curry leaves
Coconut oil                                1 tbsp
Turmeric                                    1/2tsp
Salt to taste

FOR GRINDING

Jeera                      2tsp
Coconut                1 cup
Green chillies     3no,s
Curd                      1 cup

METHOD
Grind coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies to a nice paste and keep it aside.

Take a vessel add all the vegetables, add water enough to cook the vegetables and cook till they are tender . Then add salt and the ground coconut and boil for 10 minutes .Add the beaten curd and simmer for some time and pour it into a serving dish.

Add coconut oil and curry leaves.

This dish is very popular in kerala and tamil nadu. It is a mixed vegetable dish and is served during festivals and feasts. Roti(indian bread) and avail go well together , can have with rice too.

MUSHROOM PULAO

Basmati is a long grain variety of rice and it has a distinct flavor and gives out a special aroma due to the presence of a 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. Mushroom is a source of powerful nutrients.

I usually make pulav when i am in a hurry as this is a very simple dish. This makes a great lunch box recipe too.

INGREDIENTS

Mushroom 200 g
Peas 1 tbsp
Green chili 2
Carrot cut into cubes 1 no,
Onion 1 medium
Tomato 1 big
Garlic  and ginger paste 2 tsp
Turmeric 1 tsp
Garam masala powder 2 tsp
Ghee/oil/butter 1 tbsp
Bay leaves 2 no.s
Basmati rice 1 cup
Water 1 and 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves

METHOD

Take a deep pan heat oil/ghee/ butter (better to use ghee as it will give a distinct flavor to the rice.

Add the onions,chili and bay leaves and saute till onion becomes brown, add the garlic and ginger paste and stir till the raw smell goes away. Add the carrots and mushrooms(cut 1 mushroom into four) and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the basmati rice(this has to be washed twice and drain all the water) and stir continuously for 5 minutes on low heat.  Add the garam masala powder and saute for a minute and switch off the gas. Let it cool.

Add 1   1/2 cup water to the rice  and transfer it into a vessel. Take a pressure cooker add water in the base put the vessel and pressure cook for 4 whistles.

Take out the pressure cooker lid only after the pressure is slowly released . Serve the mushroom rice pulao hot. Garnish with corriander leaves.

LEMON RICE

Lemon rice is a very easy South indian dish and you can make it when you are in a hurry.You can make it with cooked rice or with left over rice. Lemon rice can be made for tiffin box, picnic or when you are travelling. This can be served with pappads or raita.

 Lemon helps to fight infection and promote immunity. It contains calcium, magnesium vitamin C etc,

INGREDIENTS

Rice 2 cup cooked
Grated carrot 1/4 cup
Peas
Onion 1 medium
Ginger 1inch grated
Green chilies 2 or 3 slit
Curry leaves
Lemon 2 no.s
Salt to taste
Turmeric 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1 tsp
Refined oil 1 tbsp
Peanuts roasted 1 tbsp
Mustard 1 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Coriander leaves

METHOD

Take a deep pan/ kadai and heat the oil add mustard, jeera. When the mustard splutters add curry leaves, onion, green chilies, ginger and fry till onion changes colour.

Add aesofodia, turmeric and fry for a second. Add peas, carrot , roasted peanuts and little salt . Turn off the fire.

Add the juice of 2 lemon. Add the rice and stir mix well. Keep it covered for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Add salt to cooked rice and add to the kadai and stir for 5 minutes,. Garnish with corriander leaves. Serve hot with Pappads.

CORIANDER CHUTNEY...

Coriander is also known as cilantro, chinese parsley,dhania. Like other spices it is available throughout the year. Health benefits are the leaves contain vitamin C, vitamin K ,protein and also small amounts of calcium, potassium, phosphorous,carotene,

It contains anti oxidants, is anti inflammatory, good for digestion and diabetes and lowers bad cholestrol(LDL).

INGREDIENTS

Fresh coriander leaves chopped           2 cup
Onion  medium                                             1
Red chillies(according to taste)             3
lemon 1 or Tamarind                                (small size lemon)
Salt to taste
Sunflower refined oil/
olive oil      

                                                       3tsp

METHOD

Wash the corriander leaves and  cut finely. Cut the onion also.

Heat oil in a skillet /kadai on medium heat add the chillies and onions and stir till they change colour.

Add the coriander leaves and stir it for a minute and turn off the heat. keep it aside to cool.

Add tamarind or juice of 1 Lemon and salt and blend with the above ingredients.

Tasty Yummy chutney is ready.

 Can be served with curd rice, roti/chappathi, veg sandwich, chat items, patties,toasts, breads etc.

LADY FINGER STIR FRY..

Lady finger/okhra/bhindi stir fry is very simple and easy dish to make .It takes hardly 15 minutes to prepare.This can be taken with rice/flatbread/roti.

INGREDIENTS

Lady finger                                                   250 gm
Garlic                                                             10 cloves
Onion                                                              1 medium
Tomato                                                          1( deseeded)
Turmeric                                                      1 tsp
Corriander powder                                   1 tsp
Pepper grounded \chilli powder         1 tsp
Salt to taste
Refined oil                                                    3 tsp

METHOD

Wash and dry the ladyfinger 1 hr before cutting. Remove the edges and slice them vertically 2'. Cut the onion and tomato also thin length wise.

Heat pan/kadai add oil and fry the onions and garlic till they are slightly brown, add turmeric and coriander powder and stir it continuously for a minute till the raw smell of coriander disappears.

Add the ladyfinger and without lid cook it on medium fire for 8 to 10 minutes. Add  salt,pepper, tomato and fry for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Serve hot with roti/rice.

BEETROOT PACHADI (full

Pachadi is a traditional south indian dish which is almost similar to north indian raitas. It is served as a side dish  on occasions such as Onam, Vishu and sadhya. There are different  varieties of Pachadi and here I am going to make with beetroot.

Beetroot pachadi is made with yoghurt  and coconut, it has a bit sweet taste. It is a very simple dish and I prepare it often. Though I have learnt  from my mom to make pachadi with other vegetables but using beetroot  I learnt from my sister.

INGREDIENTS

Beetroot grated 1 cup
Curd 1 cup
Turmeric `1 tsp
Salt to taste

For grinding

Coconut 1/4 cup
Mustard 1 tsp
Green chillies 2


For seasoning

Mustard 1 tsp
Coconut oil  1 tsp
 curry leaves
Red broken dry chillies 2

METHOD

Grate the beetroot (use the grater with bigger holes
Keep it aside

Grind coconut, chilli, mustard to a smooth paste.

Take a deep pan and cook beetroot adding very less water, add turmeric.
Cook till it is soft

Add the coconut paste on low flame and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Add the beaten curd on low flame for a minute (do not boil the curd) and turn off the flame.

Take a pan add oil and when it  heats up add the mustard Season  mustard, red chillies, curry leaves and pour into the pachadi.

Delicious pachadi is ready. Serve it with hot steamed rice.

SEER FISH (PEPPER ) FRY

In Tamilnadu seer fish is called 'Vanjaram' and in Kerala it is called 'Neymeen'. In some places it is also known as' king mackerels'. They are a delicacy in South India and costliest variety available. It is most famous and common form of fish fry.

Seer fish has a average-calorie. low-carb, and high-protein content. It helps in tissue repari, provides energy and improves immuity. It has low density of sodium.

It is normally available in slices or fillets. Mainly used to make fish fry and fish curry.Seer fish fry does not have bones only one central bone which makes it easy for kids to eat. Kids love the taste and texture.

Instead of chilli i have tried making with pepper, after marinating for 3 hours it has come out crispy. The fish has been shallow fried and very less oil has been used .


For making pepper seer fish fry

INGREDIENTS
Seer fish  2 slices
Turmeric 1 tsp
Lemon juice 2 tsp
Vinegar 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Coconut oil for shallow frying
Pepper 2 tsp


METHOD

Clean the fish with vinegar or lemon and salt twice ,that helps to remove any smell from the fish and pat dry  with a kitchen towel.

Mix turmeric, pepper, salt, vinegar and lemon juice in a bowl and apply the paste all over the seer fish. Marinate for three to five hours in the fridge.

Take a non stick pan add some coconut oil on low heat and when it is hot put the fish and fry . Cook the fish on low flame and flip the fish gently to turn sides. When it turns golden brown it is done.Serve hot with rice.

ADIPOLLI PALAKKAD SAMBAR

Sambar is a South Indian gravy dish. There are lot of varieties of Sambar. As I am from Palakkad I like my mom's way of making sambar. Sambar can be taken with idli, dosa , vada etc. for breakfast or with rice in the afternoon.

INGREDIENTS

toor dal   1/2 cup
tamarind lemon size
salt to taste
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
refined oil or coconut oil



VEGETABLES USED

drumstick  2
ashgourd  a small piece
broad beans 5
country tomato 2












FOR DRY ROASTING


whole red chilli 5
corriander seeds 1 tbsp
asafoetida a pea size
coconut grated1/2 cup
fenugreek 1/4 tsp
curry leaves few







FOR SEASONING

mustard seeds
 red chilli 1
corriander leaves
curry leaves


METHOD

1. Pressure cook dal nicely and mash it and keep it aside

2. Add 2 tsp oil in a wok, when the oil heats up add the asafoetida and fry both sides till it becomes crisp, add chilli, fenugreek seeds and corriander seeds and stir frequently till the seeds turn colour to brown , then add coconut and curry leaves and keep stirring till the coconut turns golden brown. Turn off the stove and let it cool , then grind it to a paste adding little water.

3. Cut the vegetable and boil in water adding salt and turmeric. When the vegetable is cooked , add the dal and cook for five minutes then add the tamarind pulp. After five minutes add the ground paste and cook for another five minutes. Switch off the stove .Add the corriander leaves and the seasoning.

4. Serve this with rice or idli or dosa...