Sukhiyan/Kerala Sukhiyan

Sukhiyan/Kerala Sukhiyan

Ingredients

1. Green gram /Moong dal/ Cherupayar - 1 cup
2. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup (optional)
3. Jaggery -  1/2 cup or to taste (5 cubes)
4. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Cumin powder -1/2 tsp (optional)
6. Dry ginger powder- 2 pinches 
7. Turmeric powder - 1 - 2 pinches
8. All purpose flour / Maida - 1/2 cup
9. Coconut milk/Water - As required for making the batter
10. Rice flour -2 tbsp 
11. Salt - A pinch

Directions

For making Green gram ball:

• Cook the green gram in a pressure cooker or a vessel (do not overcook it) with enough water, until done.
•  Drain the excess water and keep aside. 
• Melt the jaggery in 1/4 cup water,stir until it become thick. 
• Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and mix well
• Add the grated coconut and mix well. 
• Now add the cooked green gram. 
• Stir until it becomes somewhat dry (10-15 minutes)

For making the batter :

• Mix maida, turmeric powder, rice flour and a pinch of salt in water / coconut milk to make a somewhat thick batter.
• When the green gram mixture is cold enough for touch, make small balls out of it.
• Dip them in the batter and deep fry (medium flame). 
• njoy!!!

Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

For Biryani Rice :

1. Basmati Rice1 – 2 cup
2. Water - 4 cup
3. Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 2 tbsp
4. Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
5. Cardamom – 2 nos
6. Cloves – 3 nos
7. Anise Star/Thakkolam -1
8. Salt – to taste
9. Saffron – few strands (optional)
10. Milk - 2tbsp(optional)

For Chicken :

1. Chicken Thighs – 4 + Boneless Chicken pieces -1/2 cup (cut into medium size)
2. Onion – 4
3. Tomato – 1 
4. Ginger – 1 inch root
5. Garlic – 5 cloves
6. Ghee (Clarified Butter)/oil – 2 tbsp
7. Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup
8. Mint leaves – 10 leaves
9. Green Chilli – 15 nos (adjust to sensitivity)
10. Lime Juice -2 tsp
11. Yogurt/Thyir -2 tsp

Garam Masala for Chicken:

1. Cinnamon – 2 inch piece
2. Cardamom – 5 nos
3. Cloves – 5 nos
4. Nutmeg – 1/4 piece
5. Mace – 1 whole
6. Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
7. Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
8. Black Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

For Garnishing :

1. Onion- 1/2 cup
2. Cashew nuts – 10 nos
3. Raisins – 10 nos 
4. Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 2 tsp

Directions

• Clean and cut Chicken into bite size pieces.
• Finely slice the Onions.
• Chop Tomatoes.
• Crush green Chillies,ginger and garlic
• Wash and chop the Coriander and Mint leaves; store separately.
• Dry roast for 4 mins and grind to a fine paste the Garam Masala.
• Soak Saffron strands in 2 tbsp Milk.

Step 1 : Chicken

• Heat 2 tbsp Ghee/oil in a non-stick pan. 
• Fry Onions till they are become golden brown 
• Add Tomatoes. Saute for about 5 mins.
• Add crushed green Chillies,ginger and garlic, and saute for 3 mins till the raw taste leaves and you can smell the fine aroma.
• Add Lemon Juice,Yogurt and chopped Coriander and Mint leaves , Salt,and 1 1/2 cup Water and mix well
• Add Chicken and garam masala and mix well.Cover it with a lid and bring to boil. Lower the flame and allow to cook on low flame for 20 mins. Stir occasionally.

Step 2: Rice

• Heat the 2 tbsp Ghee
• Add Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves and anise star and stir in well
• Add 4 cup of water and salt and bring to boil 
• Add the Rice and mix well
• Lower the flame and cook till the entire Water is absorbed in the Rice.

Step 3 : Layering and Garnish

• Heat 2 tbsp Ghee in a non-stick pan. 
• Fry Onions till they are become golden brown 
• Fry Cashew-nuts and Raisins for about 2 mins.

• In a large deep-bottomed, non-stick pan, spread ½ of the Chicken, topped by   ½ of the   Rice, spread evenly ½ of the fried Onion, Raisins, Cashew-nuts and a few drops of Saffron Milk.
• Repeat the above step .
• Pre-heat the oven for 350 degrees farenheit 
• Cover with a Aluminium foil and cook it for another 15 minutes 

                                                OR

• Cover. Seal with Flour dough all-around to make it an air-tight container.On very low flame cook for about 5 mins on fire.

                                               OR

• In a large glass pan(microwave safe), spread ½ of the Chicken, topped by   ½ of the   Rice, spread evenly ½ of the fried Onion, Raisins, Cashew-nuts and a few drops of Saffron Milk.
• Cover with a Aluminium foil and cook it for another 3-4 minutes 
• Serve hot...njoy...

Kappa -Kappa Puzhukku -Kappa Vevichathu

Kappa -Kappa Puzhukku -Kappa Vevichathu

ppaa

Ingredients

1. Kappa/Tapioca – 1 kg
2. Grated coconut – 1 cup
3. Green chilly – 3
4. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
5. Small onions – 8 sliced
6. Curry leaves – 1 spring
7. Salt to taste

For Tempering :

1. Dry red chilly – 3 seeds removed
2. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
3. Curry Leaves -1 spring
4. Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

Directions:

• Peel, wash and chop the tapioca. 
• Put them into a pressure cooker. 
• Add salt and pour enough water. Cook for 5 minutes or 1 whistle. 
• Grind coarsely grated coconut, spring onion ,green chilly,curry leaves and turmeric powder with some water. 
• Drain excess water from the boiled tapioca and mash them slightly. 
• Add the ground mixture to the boiled tapioca. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust the salt and put off the fire.
• In a pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add the small onions, curry leaves and broken red chilly. Fry till the onions turn light brown. Pour it over the tapioca mixture and mix well. 
• Serve hot with fish curry,chicken curry or beef curry..

Note: When you buy Kappa, see that they are firm and the inside is white in color. The skin should not be too dry. If you peel the skin with nails, the inside skin should be pinkish.

Vegetable Upma/Uppumavu

Vegetable Upma/Uppumavu

Ingredients

1. Wheat Rawa(Fada) -1/2 cup 
2. Onion-1/2 cup (finely chopped)
3. French Beans -1/4 cup
4. Carrot -1/4 cup
5. Sweet corn kernels -1/4 cup
6. Green Chilly -3 (sliced into two)
7. Ginger -1/4 tsp (finely chopped)
8. Garlic -1 clove(finely chopped)
9. Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
10. Curry Leaves -1 spring
11. Oil -3 tsp
12. Salt to taste
13. Water -1 1/4 cup

Directions

• Dry roast the rawa and keep it aside (I used Wheat fada -very thin rawa)
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds,when it splutters add chopped onion ,green chilly,ginger and garlic.Saute till onion become light brown
• Add Beans,carrot ,sweet corn and salt and mix well
• Cover it with a lid and cook it for 5-8 minutes,stir occasionally
• Add 1 1/4 cup water and bring to boil.Adjust the salt
• Pour the roasted rawa slowly into the Boiling vegetable mixture and mix well (Reduce the flame to low )
• Cover it with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, till all the water evaporates and rawa cooked well
• Stir occasionally
• Serve hot with pickle..or just like that...

Tip : You can even use normal rawa(sooji) or maize rawa 

Vazhakka Thoran / Ethakka Thoran/ Raw banana Stir fry

Vazhakka Thoran / Ethakka Thoran/ Raw banana Stir fry

Ingredients

1. Raw Banana/Green plantains - 4 
• OR Ethakka -2
2. Grated Coconut -1/2 cup
3. Green Chilly -3
4. Turmeric Powder -1/2 tsp
5. Shallots/Cheriya ulli -5
6. Shallots -1 (finely chopped)
7. Oil- 3 tsp
8. Mustard Seeds -1/2 tsp
9. Cumin seeds -1/4 tsp (For Raw banana)
• OR Corinader powder -1/2 tsp (for Ethakka)
10. Curry Leaves -1 spring
11. Dry Red Chilly -2
12. Salt to taste

Directions

For Raw Banana

• Peel and cut the banana into small cubed pieces
• Crush together the grated coconut,green chilly ,cumin seeds and shallots and keep it aside
• Heat the oil in a pan add add mustard seeds,when it pops up add shallots,red chilly and curry leaves and saute till shallots become brown
• Add the banana ,coconut mixture, turmeric powder and salt
• Add enough water and cook for 10-15 minutes ,till all the water evaporates,stir occasionally

For Ethakka

• Cut the banana into small cubed pieces (Don't peel the skin,just peel the head and tail and edges .Peel if it have any black portions on the skin)
• Crush together the grated coconut,green chilly  and shallots and keep it aside
• Heat the oil in a pan add add mustard seeds,when it pops up add shallots,red chilly and curry leaves and saute till shallots become brown
• Add the banana ,coconut mixture, turmeric powder,Coriander powder and salt
• Add enough water and cook for 10-15 minutes ,till all the water evaporates,stir occasionally
• Serve with rice !!!!!!

 Tips: Ethakka's skin is delicious and healthier...Ethakka skin can be used in Avial too...