#covid19#Lockdowncooking#snacks pazhampori and parippu vada

When thinking  about the 4 clock snacks pazhampori and parippuvada are on the top list. Nostalgic memories rushes in. This lockdown period is giving the opportunity to cook snacks at home. Cooked on separate days. Thought to post together. One is spicy and the other one sweet. Both goes together.

Preparation 

Pazhampori 

Ripen nendran banana, 3, peeled and sliced thinly.

Maida 1 cup, 

turmeric powder a pinch, 

Sugar 2tsp., ghee 2tsp.,

Dried ginger powder 1tsp.,

salt to taste, cumin seeds 1/2 tsp. Preparation the ingredients in half cup of water to make a thick batter. 

Coconut oil as required for deep fry.

Heat the oil in a shallow pan, dip the banana slices in the batter, drop in and fry both the sides till golden brown. Ready to serve. 

Parippu vada 

Toordal 1 cup, soak for 4 hours, drain water completely. Grind coarsely in a mixie. Shallots 12, ginger 2 inch piece, garlic cloves (optional) 6, green chilli 5, all finely chopped, salt to taste, hing 1/4 tsp. Combine the ingredients. Make it patties with your hand in round shape of your like, spread on a plate.Heat coconut oil required to deep fry in a shallow pan. Drop in the patties, deep fry both the sides till golden brown.

No doubt even it is traditional dishes , it is having all time top place among snacks. 

The soft pazhampori and crispy parippu vada join hands together❤️

#covid19#Lockdowncooking#moringa leaves dishes

Stew and sautéed bindi and moringa leaves 

Moringa leaves dal vada(patties)

Moringa is a miracle tree. Its leaves are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. It is a complete plant protein with amino acids. Besides the leaves contain high medicinal value. It therapeutic nature is highly appreciated. Good for diabetes, protects heart and liver,  good for brain , bones and eyes, boost energy and immunity. Soup, curries, dried dishes and snacks can be made with Moringa leaves. Why to hesitate? For a variety what to do? Saw our small Moringa plant in front of our house. Big tree is in our backyard. Grabbed a shoot and decided to add in my dishes.

Preparation 

Potato 2, peeled and sliced, onion1, tomato 1, ginger 1 inch piece, all three chopped, green chilli 5, silted. Turmeric powder 1/3 tsp., nutmeg mace a little, salt to taste.Cook the ingredients in a pressure cooker. Allow the pressure to subside.

 Grated coconut 1 cup, grind into a coarse paste.

Open the pressure cooker, put on medium flame, add the coconut paste and mix well. Allow to bubble nicely. Transfer into a serving bowl.

For garnishing 

Coconut oil 1tbsp., mustard seeds 1/4 tsp., shallots 2, chopped, Moringa leaves a handful.

Heat the oil in a shallow pan, drop in mustard seeds and let it crackle, add shallots, sauté till tender, add moringa leaves, allow to splutter. Pour the garnish over the stew. 

Sautéed Okra  and Moringa leaves 

Okra 250g, washed and cut into thin circles, onion 1, garlic cloves 4, both chopped, green chilli 3,silted, moringa leaves 2 hands full, salt to taste, coconut oil 1tbsp.

Heat the oil in a shallow pan, drop in the onion, garlic and green chilli, sauté till tender. Add salt and okra. Cook well. Add the leaves. Combine well and allow to cook for two minutes. Dish is ready. Transfer into a serving bowl. Excellent, simple and nutritious side dishes are ready for lunch.

Moringa leaves dal vada

A best nutritious snack for evening tea.

Vada Dal or toordal 1 cup, soak for four hours. Drain out the water and keep aside. In a mixie 

grinder grind the dal coarsely. 

Shallots 10, green chilli 5, ginger 1 inch piece, garlic 3cloves, all finely chopped. Moringa leaves a handful, Salt to taste.

Combine the ingredients in a bowl.

Take a small lemon sized dal dough, flatten it on your palm and spread the patties on a plate.

Coconut oil required for deep fry.

Heat the oil on medium flame, drop in the patties in the oil. Fry both sides till golden brown.

Vada ready to go with your favourite tea or coffee.

So easy to cook, highly nutritious and delicious. Serve hot and enjoy the crispness.

#covid19#Lockdowncooking specials# Rice starch water Halwa ( kanjivellam halwa)

A new recipe tried today. Rice starch water halwa. (Kanjvellam halwa).Had heard about some of the cooking and other benefits of kanjivellam. 

Drinking the rice water gives quick energy.

Effective to regulate body temperature.

Best home remedy for diarrhoea.

Prevents constipation.

Good shampoo and conditioner for healthy hair.

Beautifies skin.

Now a days rice is cooking in rice cooker or pressure cooker. So no need to drain. Hence kanjivellam is not common now. When rice is cooked in open wok with about four times of water, we get kanjivellam .

Some recipes that can be made are  rasam, moru kootan ( in curd), Halwa and pudding.

I got inspired by my friend’s WhatsApp picture of thickened kanjivellam. She upside down it on a plate and asked me to name the dish. I named it as the improvised vishukatta, that’s a Trissur special made with raw red rice. Then she corrected me that was kanjivellam pudding. In pudding sugar is the sweetener. We don’t prefer sugar. That’s why the Halwa here. Came out nice, soft, delicious melting in the mouth.

Ingredients 

Kanjivellam 4 cups, I used kanjivellam  matta rice. White rice water can also be used.

Jaggery 400g, cornflower 2 tbsp., ghee 25g., cashew nuts 12, raisins (optional) 1tbsp., coconut milk 1 cup, salt 1/4 tsp. 

Preparation 

Take a nonstick pan, pour the kanjivellam and boil. Allow the jaggery to melt in a wok with little water. Add jaggery syrup to the boiling kanjivellam. Stir continuously on medium flame. When the quantity comes to half add salt and coconut milk. At the point of boiling add the cornflower diluted in coconut milk. Add half of the ghee. Stir to make it more thick. Fry the raisins in the balance ghee and pour in the Halwa mix.  Stir continuously. When the mix gets separated from the sides and get into a dough texture. Off the flame. Brush a tray with ghee, spread half of the cashew nuts and raisins on bottom of the tray. Transfer Halwa into the tray. Flatten the surface with the bottom of a ghee layered spoon. Spread the balance cashew nuts and raisins and flatten again. Allow to cool down for two hours. Upside down into a serving plate and cut into your desirable size and shape. So delicious 😋 No need to throw away kanjivellam. Only you know that is made in kanjivellam. No one else can get the ingredient. Awesome learning experience in this lockdown period. Special thanks to my husband for assisting and appreciating me in my creativity ❤️

#covid19#lockdowncooking#with our ripen mangoes 🥭 mampazha pachadi

Knowing the value of home grown produce. Every year the mango tree bears. This year is so special. Stay home and Stay healthy, getting close to our homestead and making use of the precious produces like Moringa, mango, jackfruit, rose apples, bilimbi, spinach like that it goes on. New veggie garden is getting ready. About mango we harvested four times. Used making pickles, different curries, dried, ripen mango curries. This is almost the last lot this year. Didn’t made ripen mango pachadi. Here it is.

Ingredients 

1.Ripen mangoes 7, peeled and chopped, green 5, cut into circular rings.

2.Grated coconut half cup, cumin seeds 1/2 tsp., mustard seeds 1/3 tsp.,salt to taste

3.Coconut oil 2tsp., mustard seeds 1/3tsp., green chilli 3, silted, yogurt thick 1 cup, sugar 2 tsp.

Preparation 

 Cook the ingredients in 1 in a little water.

Grind the ingredients in 2 to a smooth paste.

Add the coconut paste into the cooked mango, mix well, allow to bubble nicely, lower the flame, add yogurt and sugar. Combine well with care not to loosen the yogurt. Just get it warm and off the flame.

Heat oil in a pan drop in mustard seeds, allow to splutter, add green chilli, sauté it tender and garnish the pachadi. Mambazha pachadi thayyar means ripen mango in yogurt ready. 

Serve with hot rice ❤️

#covid19#lockdowncooking#lunch idea

A healthy lunch idea with available veggies and other ingredients. Plantain thoran, Chicken curry and egg rice are the main dishes. Curd and pickle from our refrigerator. Went well. No compulsion to have salad or papadum or chutney. What we have we can make it a feast. After lunch a fruit makes it super healthy❤️

Egg biriyani 

Rice 2 cups, cooked and kept aside 

Eggs 4, boiled, peeled and pierced around with a fork 

Onion 1, garlic cloves 7, ginger 2inch piece, tomato 1, all finely chopped, green chilli 5, silted.

Coconut oil 2tbsp., biriyani masala 1 tbsp., salt to taste. 

Heat oil in a nonstick wok, drop in onion, garlic and ginger, add salt, sauté till tender, add tomato and green, mix and sauté till tender. Add biriyani masala, stir for 30 second, add the eggs and allow the gravy to cover them. Remove the eggs and keep aside. Add the rice into the masala and combine well. Chicken rice ready. Curry leaves and cilantro add flavour and taste. I didn’t use it because no stock.

Plantain thoran 

Plantain 1, wash nicely. Chop it, add salt to taste and 1/3 tsp., turmeric powder and cook in little water and keep aside.

Shallots 4, garlic 4, chopped, green chilli 2, cut into thin rings, grated coconut 1/2 cup.

Coconut oil 1 tbsp., mustard seeds 1/4 tsp., cumin seeds a pinch.

Heat the oil in a pan, drop in mustard seeds and cumin seeds, allow to crackle, add onion, garlic and green chilli, sauté till tender and cooked, add grated coconut followed by cooked plantain and combine well. Thoran ready.

Chicken curry 

Chicken pieces 500g, onion 2, garlic cloves 6, ginger 2 inch piece, tomato 1,all four chopped, green chilli 5 silted, chicken masala 1tbsp., salt to taste. Combine the ingredients well and refrigerate for an hour. Cook in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Allow the pressure to subside. Open it add half cup of coconut milk and allow to bubble on low flame. Adjust salt. Chicken curry ready.

#covid19#Lockdowncooking#Tapioca in coconut milk

Tapioca 2kg, peeled, chopped into medium chunks. Boil enough water to cover the tapioca. Add a tsp. of turmeric powder and salt. Drop in the tapioca and allow to cook well. Drain out the water and keep aside.

Onion 1 large, garlic 10 cloves, both chopped, green chilli 7 silted, coconut oil 2 tbsp., urd dal splits 1 tbsp., mustard seeds 1/2 tsp., coconut milk 1/2 cup, salt to taste and a pinch of turmeric powder.Since I was out of stock with curry leaves it is not used. Curry leaves add aroma and nice presentation while served.

Heat the coconut oil, on medium flame and drop in mustard and urd dal splits, allow mustard seeds to splutter and urd dal splits turn golden brown, drop in onion, garlic and green chilli. Add a little salt now. Mix well sauté till tender and light brown. Add coconut milk and the turmeric powder. Reduce the flame to low, allow to bubble, add the cooked tapioca and combine well. Let the coconut milk get absorbed in the tapioca. It’s really delicious ❤️ 

We prefer this as a main meal with chilli shallots chutney.

 Fish curry is a super combination.

#covid19#lockdowncooking# cherunarangapuli❤️

Only two limes with me. We love to drink the diluted juice in water with sugar and a little bit salt. It helps to feel fresh and gets rid of fatigue. My mom use to make narangapuli with this lime. I love the sourness, tartness and of course the bitterness of the lime skin. It is more tasty on the next day. The curry can be stored for two days and if more balance, it can be refrigerated for a week. For us it is a tempting thick curry. I had that from our home prepared by Amma. In my husband’s home or anywhere else I didn’t had this dish. We sisters use to make this.

I had posted the recipe years back in my blog.
In this lockdown period this is specially made  in the memories of our amma’s magical cooking❤️
 It can be substituted with chutney for rice along with stir fried vegetables (mezhukkupuratti ) and an egg omelette.

Preparation 

1.Lime 2, washed and chopped removing the seeds

2.Shallots 10, ginger 2 inch piece, finely chopped 

3.Green chilli 4, cut into thin circles

4.Coconut oil 2tbsp., mustard seeds 1/3tsp., dried red chilli 2, curry leaf a sprig

5.Chilli powder 2tsp., coriander powder 1tsp., powdered jaggery 2tsp., salt to taste 

6.tamarind a small gooseberry size, soak it in a little warm water, squeeze the juice, add a cup of      water. Soak the ingredients of 5 and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a shallow pan, drop in mustard seeds, allow to splutter, add red chilli followed by curry leaves. Drop in shallots, and ginger, sauté till light brown, add green chilli, sauté till tender, drop in chopped lime and sauté till the mixture gets cooked and turned brown. Pour in the spicy tamarind juice. Mix well and allow to boil on medium flame until it reaches a thick consistency. Adjust the salt. Off the flame. Allow to cool and transfer into a serving bowl or store in an airtight wide mouth glass bottle.

#covid19#lockdown#cooking with available ingredients ❤️

Tasty Side dishes with minimum ingredients 

With few ingredients two side dishes for lunch. Veggies are mainly from our homestead like spinach, taro, drumstick, mango, bilimbi&banana.

Our refrigerator after taking out the veggies for cooking 

What we buy are beans, carrots, onion, tomatoes, potato and garlic. In the refrigerator a few vegetables left which were a carrot, twelve beans, tomato and drumstick. Thought to finish and then only buy new. There is no hard and fast rules in selecting the ingredients for cooking when it is lockdown. Today proved that some times simple is the best. It is nice to experience that you can make tasty dishes with a positive mindset. It is not a deal. It’s your outlook. 

Carrot beans stir fry 

Carrot 1, beans 12, shallots 2, garlic cloves 2, all chopped. Cooked the veggies in a bowl on medium flame and set aside. 

Grated coconut 1/2 cup, turmeric powder 1/3tsp., salt to taste. 

Heat coconut oil in a shallow pan, splutter mustard seeds and dried red chilli, add turmeric powder, salt, grated coconut and cooked veggies. Combine well and leave for two minutes. When the moisture is absorbed completely the dish is done ✅ 

Drumstick in fried coconut paste 

Drumstick 2, peeled and sliced, bilimbi 5, shallots 6, tomato 1, all three thinly sliced. Turmeric powder a pinch, chilli powder 2tsp., coriander powder 1 tsp., fried coconut powder 3tbsp., salt to taste. Cook the ingredients in enough water.

Garnish the mix with mustard seeds and red chilli in coconut oil as above. 

#covid19#lockdownspecial# Trial with leftover coconut milk pulp ❤️

I had squeezed coconut milk from two coconuts. Got a good volume of squeezed coconut pulp. It’s lockdown. Got enough time to think of more ideas and trials. I use to dry fry and powder it for further use. Summer is in it’s peak. So an idea to sun dry and powder. Dried well. Today powdered it in a mixie. It came out well. It is white in colour odourless and tasteless. I am sure I can use for thickening curries or smoothies or use in making cake. 

I shall come back to you after the use. Since I can’t wait to share with you I am posting in my blog. 

I am sure no need to throw it away. It is high in fibre, very low in fat and it is storable too. If you don’t want to use in your dishes it can easily be used  as a facial scrub with aloe vera gel.

On a rainy day I made mango payasam. For which I extracted milk from a big coconut. Got the leftover coconut pulp. Can’t dry it under sun. Don’t want to waste it. Even after a hectic work, decided to dry fry the pulp and keep it to thicken the curries. It’s done ✅ 

#covid19#lockdownspecials# Mindful cooking ❤️

Bottle gourd peel fry
Why should we throw the peel away? Here is a crispy snack for tea especially on a rainy evening. Instead of throwing it in a dustbin let’s try this. Over ripen peel is not preferred.
How to dry the peel? Wash the bottle gourd nicely. Cut into thick slender pieces. Rub the pieces with turmeric powder and salt to taste. Sun dry the pieces for a day for instant use, or for two days to store for further use.
Heat coconut oil in a pan and deep fry till golden brown. Care should be taken not to over burn.
Benefits of the peel
It is rich in fibre and essential minerals.
It is a low calorie food.
It helps reduce blood sugar.
It is good for intestinal disorders like digestion and constipation.
More over the contentment of trying all parts of a vegetable, enjoying and sharing with friends.
 

#covid19# lockdown# stayhome. A healthy black coffee

To start a day with a healthy drink is the lifestyle . That too, if prepared by our beloved is more special. Our morning coffee is my husband’s special for almost the two decades. He use to improvise the coffee to give a special touch and difference in taste. Anyway the coffee turns out delicious, nutritious and branded in his name. Our children now says, they need Achan’s (dad’s) coffee. Now the coffee is so good to drink in this lockdown because of it’s medicinal properties. It is a therapeutic drink. 

 Preparation
Water 3 cups, palm jaggery ( karupatti), 50g,  crushed pepper 1tsp, ginger powder 1tsp, crushed cumin seeds and cinnamon a a pinch each. Boil thoroughly these ingredients in a saucepan for 3-5 minutes.
Tulasi leaves 7, panikoorka (Plectranthus amboinicus) leaves 4. Add these two leaves and two tsp. of coffee powder. Allow to boil for two more minutes. Strain the coffee ☕️ into the serving cups and enjoy sipping little by little in your balcony or garden with gratitude for the beautiful sunrise 🌅
Feel free to adjust the measurements of the ingredients as per your taste. This is my husband’s recipe❤️ My husband improvise with various ingredients such as nutmeg mace, cloves, cardamom and  crushed coriander. It is anti inflammatory and boosts immunity. The herbs in the coffee frees lungs disorders.
Benefits
Relieve cough, cold, sinusitis and blocked nose
Aids in digestion
Rich in iron
Rich in aroma

#covid19#lockdown blogging # Healthy Egg Omlete

Lockdown cooking is going on great with lots of traditional and improvised dishes from our garden fresh veggies. Everyday some leftovers will be there which lessens the next day cooking. Today is such a day. So got more time for gardening.  Afternoon to have a fresh dish from the stove preferred egg omelette. Thought of making a fluffy omelette I choose my mom’s recipe. She used to serve this omelette with evening tea. 

Before going to the preparation let’s see the healthy part of eggs especially for elders.

Eggs are widely and easily available. It is almost affordable. In villages farm raised eggs are available in every homesteads. Eggs are high in protein and easily digestible. In 1970s egg was tagged as unhealthy but now the scenario is changed. Egg is a nutritional powerhouse. Contains essential vitamins and minerals. It is good for older people due to the presence of Vitamin D which plays an important role in absorbing calcium needed for bone strength. Egg contains omega 3 fatty acids, choline for brain function, protein for tissue growth and repair, iron for energy, leucine for muscle synthesis and the amino acid tryptophan converts into serotonin a neurotransmitter in body enhances the mood. 

As we age our protein requirements increase. If you like and prefer eggs, it is so simple and easy way to add on to your breakfast or lunch or dinner or a midday snack. Can prepare a variety of dishes like poached, boiled, bullseye, omelette, roast or curry.

Here is a preparation of a fluffy omelette with grated coconut and dried red chilli.

Preparation 

Hen eggs 2, onion 1, tomato small 1, both  chopped, dried red chilli 2, cut into thin circles, ginger garlic paste 1tsp., grated coconut 4tbsp., salt to taste. Break the eggs in a bowl, add the other ingredients and mix well.

Heat a shallow pan, pour half of the egg mix in the pan, drizzle coconut oil over. Cook till bottom turn golden brown, flip and cook the other side. Serve hot with rice, chapatti or as it is with tea or coffee.

#covid19#lockdownspecial# traditional side dishes for lunch

The main traditional vegetarian dishes for lunch include sambar, a curry and two side dishes avial and  pachadi or kichadi. The speciality of South Kerala sambar is that any kind of vegetables can go in. In North Kerala the list of sambar goes like bindi sambar, drumstick sambar, spinach sambar, onion sambar. So also the sambar is thicker in South with elephant foot yam, potato, taro, cucumber, pumpkin, onion, green chilli, drumstick, carrots likewise it goes on. Based on the quantity of the toordal you have to limit the quantity of the veggies with you. It is great dish with vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein. Today I cooked these three together based on our neighbor’s wish to have sambar and avial. They bought the veggies and it comes real. Reminds my mom’s cooking style throughout.

Thank you Nissar and family for giving me the opportunity of cooking traditional dishes❤️ Really nostalgic ❤️

Sambar

Pressure cook 1 cup toordal and keep aside.

Add the cubed veggies and curry leaf. Pressure cook  for two whistles. 

When the pressure is gone, open it and add tamarind juice, salt and sambar masala powder. 

Allow to boil and garnish chopped shallots, garlic, mustard, dried red chilli, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Pour the garnish over the sambar. Serve with rice, dosa and idli.

Avial
Again another nutritious and delicious vegetable dish. Avial can be used as a substitute meal for those who are on diet. All the veggies used in sambar can be used for avial. The way of cutting the vegetables is very important in making avial. Cut veggies into 3inch slender pieces. Cook it with half glass of water. Add curry leaves, turmeric and chilli powders 1/2 tsp. each .Combine well and close with a lid. Water will oozes out from the veggies. Cook on medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes.
Grated coconut 2 cups, shallots 4, cumin seeds 1/2tsp., green chilli 3, turmeric powder a pinch, salt to taste.  Grind it coarsely, add some curry leaves and grind once more.
Add the coconut mix on the cooked veggies, combine carefully with a fork or spoon without breaking the cooked veggies. Bring to low flame, pour 2 tbsp. coconut oil in a circular motion, add some more curry leaves and close it with a lid for two minutes.
Serve hot with rice, poori and chapatti.
Pumpkin pachadi
Pumpkin peeled and cut into small pieces. Green chilli 3, cut into circles. Curry leaf a sprig. Cook on medium flame. Grated coconut, cumin seeds 1/4 tsp., shallots 2. Grind it softly in yogurt into a paste.
Add the coconut paste over the cooked pumpkin, add salt. Combine well. Put it on low flame and add a teaspoon of sugar and a cup of thick yogurt. Allow to remain on flame for a minute.
Garnish mustard seeds, 2 red chilli cut into rings and curry leaves. Pour the garnish over the yogurt mix. Serve hot with rice.

#covid19#lockdownspecial# Moringa leaves Oothapam for breakfast

Everyday trying to get variety new recipes which is highly nutritious and delicious using home grown veggies. This is a great time to enjoy the edible plant products in our garden. Thought of what special today to have and share in my blog.

 I am having dosa batter in the refrigerator. Plenty of Moringa leaves. Why not try an entirely new dish? Moringa leaf  Oothappam. 

About Moringa leaves. It’s little bit hectic task to get in cleaned. I use to break the shoots, directly wash them and keep aside for draining the water and get dried. While watching tv or listening to a talk, almost in dusk hours before dinner separates each and every leaf. Refrigerate it for the next day use. Even though it’s difficult to get the leaves ready for use, let’s look into the nutritious value of moringa leaves. Moringa leaf is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It is anti inflammatory and rich in fibre. A cup of chopped leaves contains 2g protein. It lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels.  

 Preparation 

Dosa batter 2 cups,

Moringa leaf 1 cup, chopped,

Onion medium 1, ginger one inch piece, tomato small 1, remove the seeds, all three finely chopped, green chilli 1, slanting cuts, a pinch of turmeric powder and salt to taste. Combine and squeeze a little, the veggies with your fingers. Keep aside.

Heat a nonstick pan or tawa on medium flame. Pour in a ladleful of batter in the centre and form the dosa shape. Place the moringa leaf mix on the top, spread it evenly and press it gently with the bottom of the spoon. Drizzle few drops of sesame oil in the centre and around the edge. Cook for about two minutes until the bottom surface turns golden brown. Flip it gently and cook the other side for a minute. Unlike  dosa Oothappam is a little thicker topped with onion, veggies or can be improvised with any of your choice. 

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Preparation of chutney for Moringa leaf Oothappam 

Grated coconut 1cup, shallots 3, raw mango chopped 1tbsp.,cumin seeds 1/4 tsp., red chilli 3, salt to taste, curry leaf 1/2 a sprig. Grind these ingredients in a bowl to a semi coarse paste. Transfer into a serving bowl and loosen it up with lukewarm  water. Serve with Oothappam. 

The mango taste in the chutney neutralise the slight bitterness and fibrous nature of the moringa leaves. It is delicious and nutritious. For me and my husband it turns out as one of the healthiest breakfast meals.