Amla(whole gooseberry)pickle and lemon pickle

Amla(Nellikkai) pickle

Fresh Amla 10
Turmeric powder 1/2tsp
Salt as required
Freshly ground red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Dry roast and powdered methi -a pinch
Hing a pinch
Gingly ( nallennai) oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Whole red chilli  two

Method of Preparation

Wash and in a bowl boil Amla, Turmeric and salt by adding one cup water. In another pan dry roast methi, red chilli and hing. Crush it and make powder. Once Amla is soft off the stove. Use the dry roast pan for tadka. Heat the pan add oil, mustard, red chilli whole and allow mustard to crackle. Now add cooked Amla, roasted powder and adjust salt. Mix well allow the pickle to cool down. Store in air tight container. Keep making fresh lot and enjoy delicious Amla pickle with yummy curd rice.

Lime Pickle

Fresh ripe yellow lemons 10
Turmeric powder a little
Hing a pinch
Red chilli 10 badigaye and 10 guntur chilli.
Rock salt as required
Methi a pinch

Method of Preparation

Wash and dry lemons. Cut into very small pieces. Add rock salt. Mix well. Leave it for two days for the lemons to become soft. After two days dry roast red chilli, hing and methi seeds, crush and add to the salted pickle. Heat nallennai, cool it and add to the prepared pickle. Mix well leave the pickle to further stay in the air tight container for about 5 to 6 days. By now the lime in the pickle might have released all juice and the lime pickle is ready to use. Use it as a side dish for curd rice.

Kappa Kanji

Kappa Kanji is a traditional dinner option in many Kerala houses. It's very light and easy to digest.

Kanji

Ingredients

Red rice 1/2 cup
Whole green moong 1/4 cup
Salt as required
Water 10 cups

Method of Preparation

Wash rice and green moong dal. Add water and salt pressure cook in cooker till three whistles in medium flame.

Kappa

Ingredients

Kappa(Tapioca) - 1
Grated coconut one tsp
Garlic optional 1 pod
Green chili 1
Tamarind a little
Jeera 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Salt as required

Method of Preparation

Wash and peel tapioca. Cut into large cubes. Add water, Turmeric and salt. Cook in cooker in medium flame for 2 whistles. Remove from cooker, throw the water. Again add warm water and cook for about 5 more minutes. Drain the water use a wooden matthu(curd churner) and smash the tapioca.

In a mixer grind coconut, green chili, tamarind and garlic to a dry coarse paste.(This can be made as a side dish for steamed tapioca)

In a heated pan pour oil add jeera allow it to splutter. Now add the smashed tapioca, coconut paste and adjust salt. Mix well. Serve as a side dish for Kanji.

For steamed kappa please check:
http://jayanthisindianrecipes.blogspot.in/2014/04/kappa-kandari-mulakku-chutney-and.html?m=1

Khotte Kadbu (Steamed Idli in Jack fruit leaf basket)

Khotte Kadbu(steamed idli in jackfruit leaves)

with khotte a jackfruit leaf basket. Khotee 

kadbu is a popular breakfast dish in 

Mangalore. 

I bought the basket from Jayanagar.

It's fun to go for window shopping in the 

basement market during festivals.

You will see a variety of fruits, vegetables,

greens, and eco friendly Ganesha displayed 

artistically.

The idly batter I prepared was really fluffy. I 

tried to add one more ingredient - thick avil or 

avalaki. The result super soft fluffy delicious 

Khotte Kadbu. It has the mild aroma from the 

jackfruit leaves.

Soft, spongy Idli

Ingredients

Urad dal - 1 cup

Idli rice (Ponni boiled rice/Doppi rice) - 3 cups.

Aval/Avallakki - a handful

Methi - 1 tsp

Salt - 1 1/4 tsp

Method of Preparation

Soak urad dal, rice,methi and aval in separate vessels for about 4 to 5 hours. (I soaked methi and aval with rice)Grind urad dal first for about 35 minutes in wet grinder by adding just enough water. When the batter is ready to be removed off the grinder and look for bubbles in the urad dal paste. If you see big bubbles coming and bursting  that means your urad dal is ready to be removed. The quantity will be 3 times of urad dal you added. Remove from grinder keep aside. Now add idli rice,methi and aval allow it to grind for about 12 minutes, now add prepared urad dal. Allow both the batter to grind together for about 10 minutes, Add salt. Carefully remove the batter in a large vessel. The batter will be double the quantity you grind when fermented. So make sure your vessel is big enough. We are going to allow the batter to ferment overnight for about 8 hours. 

Prepare Khote kadbu by filling idly batter in jackfruit leaves. You can make the small leaf basket if Jack fruits leaves are available.  I bought it from local market. Allow the iddly to cook for about 12 minutes. Poke a fork and check whether idly is cooked. You can serve the dish in the jackfruit basket itself in the serving plate. Serve hot with freshly prepared sambhar or chutney. 

Tomato pickle

I grow tomatoes from the overripe store bought tomatoes, It taste good when we grow them in small grow bags in your terrace garden.

I love pickle especially its freshly made with home grown ingredients. haring with you a simple recipe that I follow.

Tomato pickle made from raw green tomatoes.

Tomato pickle from garden fresh tomatoes. It's a very simple side dish for Roti or rice.
I used only the big green tomatoes. 

Ingredients

Fresh tomatoes 1/4 kg
Red chili two
Ginger a small piece
Mustard 1/2 tsp
Methi seeds 1/2 tsp
jeera 1/4 tsp
Chana dal 1/2 tsp
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
Oil two tablespoon

Method 

*Wash and slice tomatoes and ginger.

 *Heat kadai and pour oil, add mustard seeds, methi, chana dal, jeera and red chilli

. *Let the mustard splutter

.* Add chopped tomatoes, ginger mix turmeric, salt and chilli powder. Mix well

.* Cook in high flame till soft and tomatoes well cooked.

 *Taste delicious with Roti or rice.

Sambharam (buttermilk)

We all love sambharam(buttermilk) on a hot sunny summer day. Its the best you can serve your guests and family. We have it as summer cooler, but nowadays I drink as a healthy drink before my lunch. It helps in keeping the body cool!!

I have created small video of the procedure. Please do watch, like and share. 

A desi health drink -Sambharam ( buttermilk) 

 Ingredients 

1 cup curd( add water and churn into buttermilk )

2 Green chilies
5 ice cubes

1 Garlic pod (optional)

1/2 lemon extract 

A large piece of Ginger 

A few Curry leaves 
1/2 tsp coriander leaves chopped

A pinch of Hing  

1/2 tsp crushed rock salt/ordinary powder salt

Garnish

Fresh lemon leaves if available

Tips

I have used a few ice cubes and 3 cups of water.

Freshly plucked curry leaves and lemon leaves gives flavour to the buttermilk.

Method 

*In a mixer or mortar and pestle grind green chili, ginger, garlic, curry, coriander, hing, and salt.   Add to the churned buttermilk. 

*Add lemon extract adjust salt. 

*Its  a digestive. Serve as a healthy drink on a very sunny day to your guests. It tastes great.

* You can make large quantities by increasing the proportion.

*Its a summer coolers, enjoy!

Crispy crunchy onion pakoda

Crispy crunchy onion pakoda. I have added a lot of ingredients to this delicious version.

Ingredients

Besan 1/2 cup
Rice flour 2 tbsp
Rice rawa 1 tbsp
Onion 2
Potato 1
Capsicum 1/2 piece
Green chili 3
Ginger a large piece
Saunf a few
Red amaranth leaves a handful
Coriander leaves a few
Methi leaves chopped one tsp
Spring onion leaves chopped one tsp
Curry leaves a few
Red chili powder 1/2 tsp
Hing a pinch
Salt as required
Water just to knead the dough
Oil for frying

Method of preparation

Wash peel and trim the vegetables. Cut into very thin slices. Chop onion, ginger, chili, coriander leaves, spring onion,curry leaves red amaranth leaves into very small pieces.  In a bowl add all chopped vegetables, greens, dry masala, salt, saunf, hing, besan, rice flour, rice rawa and add very less water and make soft dough. The consistency it should not stick to your hands or the bowl!!

Keep oil for frying. Adjust the flame gently spread the dough a little at a time in oil allow it to fry till golden crispy. Use a kitchen napkin to absorb excess oil. Taste good with tomato ketchup and freshly made tea.The best combination on a rainy day.

Vegetable Biryani (Kerala Style)

A simple Kerala vegetable biryani. I used very less spices and vegetables and added garden fresh greens.

Ingredients

Basmati rice 3/4 cup
Carrot 2
Tomato 1
French bean 3
Onion a few small and one large
Peas 1/4 cup
Avarakkai seed 1/4 cup (optional)
Garlic two pods
Elachi 2
Clove 2
Curry leaves, coriander, green chili, ginger, Wash and chop or coarsely grind in mixer or chop finely.
Grind tomato,onion and garlic in mixer. 
Ghee or oil 2 tablespoon
Biryani masala powder (knorr) - 1/2 tsp optional
Salt as required

Method of preparation

In a thick pan pour oil and saute tomato onion paste till oil separate. Now add rest of the chopped vegetables, rice and adjust salt. Saute well so that rice is well coated. Now add chopped greens. Mix well. Add two cups of water. Cook in high flame for about 10 minutes then reduce the flame. Gently mix well. Add biryani masala powder. Mix well.  Cook till rice and potato is well cooked and soft. . Garnish with chopped spring onion. Serve with cucumber or onion raitha.