Uluva kanji

 

Sprouted fenugreek congee is made using boiling sprouted fenugreek and rice and mixing with ground coconut and cumin seeds. 

Ingredients:

1. Sprouted fenugreek seeds - 1 tablespoon

2. Kerala matta rice - 1/4 cup

3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak fenugreek seeds in water for approximately 3 hours. 

2. Drain the water from the fenugreek and keep aside in a container lined with cottin cloth. Let it rest for at least 10-12 hours until they sprout. 

3. Wash the rice and boil it along with sprouted fenugreek seeds. Add around 2 cups of water while pressure cooking and let it whistle 3 times on a medium flame.

4. Allow the pressure to come down naturally. Add salt to taste.

5. Grind coconut with cumin seeds with water and it to the congee. 

Congee is ready to serve. This is eaten with karkidaka masam to increase immunity. Also given to new moms during postpartum recovery. 

I am tagging this recipe for the "Shhhhh Cooking Secretly", a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme is "Sprouts" and it was chosen by Jayashree. She made Sprouted Moong Methi Stir Fry. Check out the recipe for the same in her blog 'Evergreen dishes'. My partner for this month is Renu. She gave me cumin seeds and coconut as my secret ingredients. I gave her bhajra and green chilies as her ingredients. She made a very unique 'Bajra Millet and Sprouted Moong Dhokla'.

Avial

Avial is a popular traditional dish from Kerala. It is a mixed vegetable curry cooked with coconut and yogurt. The main ingredients in avial are typically a variety of vegetables like carrots, beans, drumsticks, raw banana, yam, and pumpkin.

To prepare avial, the vegetables are cut into long pieces and cooked with turmeric, green chilies, and curry leaves. A coconut paste is added and the dish is seasoned with coconut oil to enhance the flavor.

It is one of the main dishes in a Kerala sadya. A sadya is a traditional feast served on a banana leaf during special occasions, festivals and weddings. With Onam festival around the corner, try this easy to make and healthy mixed vegetable avial. 

Ingredients:

• Raw banana
• Yam
• Carrots
• Beans
• Drumsticks
• Winter melon
• Pumpkin 
• Coconut grated - 1 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Green chilies - 3-4 
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Coconut oil - 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut the vegetables in 3 inches by 1 inch long slices. Take equal quantities of each of these vegetables mentioned in the ingredients list and make sure they come up to 3 cups in total. 
2. Add the cut vegetables in a large pot and add 1/2 cup of water, sliced green chilies, turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt. 
3. Cover and cook the vegetables until well done. Stir occasionally and sprinkle water if required. 
4. Grind the grated coconut along with a teaspoon of cumin seeds into a coarse paste.
5. Add this paste to the cooked vegetables and stir well. Cover and cook on low flame for another 5 minutes.
6. Turn off the stove and add a cup of yogurt. Finally add a tablespoon of coconut oil and few more curry leaves. Delicious avial is ready to serve. 

"Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme is "Sadya" and it was chosen by Priya Vijaykrishnan. She made a kichadi with okra. Check out the recipe for the same in her blog 'Sweet Spicy Tasty'. My partner for this month is Mayuri. She gave me cumin seeds and coconut oil as my secret ingredients. I gave her mustard seeds and curry leaves as her ingredients. She made a very refreshing cucumber raita - Vellirikka Kichadi.

Mango Lassi

Mango Lassi is a perfect summer drink with its creamy texture and cooling properties. You can use fresh mangoes if it is in season or you could also use frozen or canned ones. This drink is flavored with cardamom or/and saffron. This is one of the popular beverages in Indian cuisine. You will definitely find them in menu of any Indian restaurant. 

Ingredients:

1. Ripe Mango - 1 cup
2. Yogurt - 1 cup
3. Milk - 1 cup
4. Sugar - 2-3 tablespoon 
5. Cardamom pods - 5

Method:

1. Peel the ripe mangoes, remove the pit and cut into large pieces. Add the mangoes pieces in a blender along with rest of the ingredients.
2. Add 5-6 ice cubes and blend them into smooth puree.
3. Serve immediately.

I had the opportunity to select the theme for "Shhh cooking secretly" challenge. This is a group in Facebook which has a monthly challenge. In this challenge a theme is selected at the beginning of the month by one of the participants. All the members are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. This month's theme is "Mango recipes" where we could make a dish from any cuisine using raw or ripe mangoes. My partner for this month is Preethi Prasad who blogs at Preethi's cuisine. My ingredients were cardamom and yogurt and I gave her coriander seeds and poppy seeds. She made a raw mango curry which is a perfect curry for hot steaming rice. 

Avocado Toast

This is a very basic avocado toast with simple ingredients. It is very easy to make on a busy morning. We just need around 5 minutes to whip up this healthy protein-rich breakfast. All you need is a ripe avocado and a couple of slices of bread. I have added chili flakes and pepper powder for spiciness in this recipe and this can be added or removed as per your spice preference. The avocado used should be just ripe and not too mushy. It is preferable to consume it immediately after preparing it. Even though lemon juice added will prevent the discoloration of avocado, I believe the taste of avocado alters with time.

Ingredients:

• Bread slices - 2
• Avocado - 1 
• Lemon juice - 1/2 teaspoon 
• Chili flakes - 1/8 teaspoon
• Pepper powder -1/8 teaspoon 
• Black sesame seeds - 1/8 teaspoon
• Butter - 1 teaspoon (optional)
• Salt - a pinch

Method:

1. Toast the bread slices with butter. This is completely optional. If you want, you can just toast it without butter.
2. Take the avocado, cut it in half, and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a bowl.
3. Mash the avocado with a fork. I like mine to be completely smooth. 
4. Add a pinch of salt, pepper powder, chili flakes, and sesame seeds to the mashed avocado and mix well. 
5. Spread the avocado mix on toast and serve.

As part of the "Sshhh Cooking secretly" challenge, a theme is selected at the beginning of the month by one of the participants. All the members are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. This month's 'Protein-rich breakfast' theme is chosen by Renu. Do check out her recipe of Tofu Bhurji she made for this theme. 

Priya Vijaykrishnan is my partner for this month. She gave me pepper powder and lemon juice as my ingredients and I gave her coconut and curry leaves as her secret ingredients. Priya prepared very healthy black lentil crepes. Do check out her blog for a wide variety of traditional dishes like Thiruvadhirai kali.  

Tindora fry | Ivy Gourd Stir fry - Andhra style

Dondakaya Vepudu as it is called in Telugu is a delicious dish of tindora/ivy gourd with roasted peanuts. The spice mixture with roasted gram dal and coconut gives it a good flavor. This is a perfect side dish with steaming rice or chapathi.  

 Ingredients: 

1. Tindora/Ivy gourd - 1 lb
2. Peanuts - 4 tablespoon
3. Coconut grated - 3 tablespoon
4. Dried red chili - 4 or as per your spice preference
5. Roasted chana dal - 1 tablespoon
6. Garlic - 3 cloves
7. Ural dal - 1 teaspoon
8. Curry leaves - 2 sprig
9. Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
10. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
11. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
12. Chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
13. Oil - 3 teaspoon
14. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and thinly slice ivy gourd and set aside.
2. Take a wide pan and heat 2 teaspoons of oil. 
3. When the oil is hot, splutter mustard seeds followed by urad dal, cumin seeds, 2 dried red chilies, and curry leaves.
4. Add the cut ivy gourd and cover and cook for 15 minutes on low flame. Stir occasionally.
5. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, and salt, and cook for another 10 minutes. 
6. While the ivy gourd is cooking, let's make the spice powder. 
7. For the spice powder, grind coconut, dried red chili, garlic, and roasted gram dal into a coarse powder. 
8. Once the ivy gourd is cooked well, add the spice powder. Mix well and cook covered for another 5 minutes.
9. In a small pan, heat a teaspoon of oil and roast the peanuts.
10. Add the roasted peanuts to the ivy gourd and turn off the flame.
11. Ivy gourd with peanuts stir fry is ready to serve. 

I am tagging this dish for the Vegan recipes theme of Sshh Cooking secretly challenge. This month's theme was selected by Radha. Radha made a Vegan Jackfruit Kofta curry, a great alternative to malai kofta. My partner for this month is Seema who gave me peanuts and garlic. I gave her secret ingredients as walnut and pepper powder and she came up with a vegan walnut mushroom mince.

Aval Vilayichathu

 

Aval Vilayichattu is a sweet dish made with flattened rice flakes, coconut, and jaggery as the main ingredients. This is commonly made as a snack item in Kerala. This dish is also made as a prasadam/naivedyam/offering to God. The food group(Sshhhh Cooking Secretly) I am part of, decided to make a "festive" theme as part of the December. With the Ayyappa season in December, I decided to make this dish which is perfect as an offering to the deity. 

Ingredients:

1. Rice flakes/Aval/Poha - thin variety - 3 cups
2. Coconut-grated - 1 cup
3. Jaggery - grated - 1 cup
4. Cashews - 3 tablespoon
5. Raisins - 3 tablespoons
6. Black sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon
7. Roasted gram dal/Pottu kadala - 1/4 cup
8. Cardamom - 5 no.
9. Dried ginger - 1/2 inch piece
10. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
11. Ghee - 2 tablespoons

Method:

1. Boil 1/2 cup of water and add the grated jaggery. Strain the melted jaggery if you think there are impurities in your jaggery. 
2. Put the melted jaggery back into the pan. Add grated coconut and allow the liquid to evaporate. Boil for at least 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice flakes to this and mix well. 
4. In a small pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee and roast raisins, cashews, sesame seeds, and roasted gram dal. Add this to the rice flakes mixture. 
5. Grind the dried ginger, cumin seeds, and cardamom into fine powder. Add this to rice flakes.
6. Mix everything together and make sure all the liquid from the jaggery is evaporated. Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee and turn off the stove.

Allow the mix to cool before you eat. This tastes best when you eat it after a day. Aval vilayichattu stays good without refrigeration for a week. You can also store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. 

As part of "Sshhh Cooking secretly" challenge, a theme is selected at the beginning of the month by one of the participants. All the members are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. This month's festive theme is chosen by Priya Vijaykrishnan who blogs at Sweet Spicy Tasty. Do check out the recipe for Thiruvadhirai Kootu. 

Renu is my partner for this month. She gave me ginger powder and cardamom as my ingredients and I gave her sesame seeds and edible gum as her secret ingredients. Renu came up with a very delicious Gluten-free Bajra ladoo. Do check out her blog for a wide variety of healthy dishes. 

Kimbap

Kimbap or Gimbap is a Korean sushi made of sticky rice, vegetables, and meat/seafood wrapped in a seaweed sheet. These are sliced into bite-sized pieces and served. A variety of fillings can be used for kimbap. 

Ingredients:

1. Sticky rice/Sushi rice - 1/2 cup
2. Cucumber - small piece cut into thin strips. 
3. Carrots - 1 small sized
4. Spinach - 1 cup
5. Garlic - 2-3 pods
6. Sesame oil - 2-3 teaspoon
7. Vinegar - 1 teaspoon
8. Sugar - 1 teaspoon
9. Salt to taste
10. Seaweed sheet - 5-6
11. Sriracha mayo sauce

Method:

1. We need to use sushi rice which is sticky rice. The rice can be cooked in a rice cooker/open vessel and the quantity of water used for cooking can be followed according to the package. 
2. Once the rice is cooked. Add in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, sesame oil, and vinegar. Mix the rice and set aside.
3. Blanch the spinach and drain the water completely. Heat a pan and add a teaspoon of sesame oil. Add in minced garlic and blanched spinach and saute for a couple of minutes. Turn off the stove and let me cool to room temperature. 
4. Cut the carrots and cucumber into thin strips and set aside. 
5. Once all the above steps are complete, now comes the fun part of assembling the kimbap.
6. We need a sushi rolling mat to roll the kimbap. These can be easily found in any Asian store. 
7. Lay the rolling mat on a flat surface. Place the seaweed sheet on it. Spread a thin layer of sticky rice on top of the seaweed sheet. 
8. Place thinly sliced cucumber, carrots, and sauteed spinach on the bottom side of the sheet. Start rolling the mat by grabbing the veggies. Press them while you roll. The sticky rice will hold all the ingredients intact. Once you have finished rolling, use a sharp knife and slice them into one-inch pieces.
9. The kimbap is ready to serve. Serve them with soy sauce/ sriracha mayo sauce. 

Linking this recipe for the "Sshhh cooking secretly" event on Facebook.  As part of this challenge, a theme is selected at the beginning of the month by one of the participants. All the members are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. This month's theme is "World Street Food" chosen by Preethi who blogs at Preethi's cuisine. Do check out her donut from Tahiti called Firi Firi. 

Mayuri is my partner for this month. She gave me a seaweed sheet and garlic as my ingredients and I gave her coriander and cabbage as her secret ingredients. Mayuri came up with a very delicious and filling vegetable-loaded omelette rolled in chapati. It is called Ugandan Rolex. Do check out her blog, Mayuri's Jikoni for an amazing collection of dishes from around the world. 

Broccoli Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Broccoli soup is one of the easiest soups to make with minimal ingredients. This creamy soup is loaded with nutrients and fiber. It is the perfect addition to your meal on a cold day. You can make this dairy-free by replacing dairy milk with coconut milk. Enjoy this delicious soup with your family. 

Ingredients:

1. Zucchini - 2 cups diced
2. Broccoli - 1 cup
3. Onion - 1 small
4. Garlic - 3 pods
5. Milk - 1/2 cup
6. Salt to taste
7. Pepper powder - as per your preference
8. Olive oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot.
2. Sauté onion until they turn translucent.
3. Add the garlic pods, diced zucchini, and broccoli florets and sauté for a couple of minutes.
4. Add 3 cups of water and let them simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add milk, salt, and pepper, and turn off the stove.
6. Let the mixer cool for some time before you put them in a blender.
7. Make a fine puree with a hand blender or blender. 
8. Sprinkle a dash of pepper powder and enjoy this warm soup.

Linking this recipe for the "Sshhh cooking secretly" event on Facebook.  As part of this challenge, a theme is selected at the beginning of the month by one of the participants. All the members are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month. This month's theme is "Soups" chosen by Priya who blogs at The World Through My Eyes. Priya happens to be my partner for this month as well.

Priya gave me onion and pepper powder and I gave her garlic and coconut milk as her secret ingredients. Priya came up with a very soothing and healthy carrot soup with coconut milk. She has a collection of interesting recipes, of which few to mention include "Hyacinth Bean Stir-Fry With Fenugreek Dumplings" and "Fruit and Nut Chocolate Bites".

Pol Sambol

 Coconut sambol or pol sambol as it is called in Sri Lanka is one of the easiest dish you can make without fire. It is traditionally made using pestle and mortar. But we can also make them in a food processor/mixer-grinder. Fresh coconut is used for this dish but we can alternatively use moistened desiccated coconut in case fresh ones are not available. Shallots give great flavor but it can be also replaced with large onions. This dish is served with traditionally made flatbread coconut roti(pol roti), string hoppers, or with rice.

Pol sambol is very similar to the Kerala style thenga chammathi except for the fact that it does not include lemon juice. 

Ingredients:

• Coconut - 1 cup
• Shallots - 5-6 nos.
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon
• Dried whole red chilies - 3 or according to your spice level
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Take shallots, garlic, dried red chilies, curry leaves and pepper powder in a mixer grinder and pulse for couple of seconds.
2. Add grated coconut and salt and pulse again to combine everything together. 
3. Squeeze in lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Coconut sambol is ready to serve.

Pol sambol served with Pol roti and tea

I made this dish as part of the Shhh Cooking Secretly challenge. Narmada from Nams Corner suggested Sri Lankan theme for the month of Aug and Seema was my partner. Seema made a delicious eggplant pickle with mustard and vinegar. Do check her blog for a wide variety of cuisine. I am waiting to try her aval kesari. 

Bisi bele bath powder

 Ingredients:

1. Kashmiri chili/Byadagi chili - 15 nos.
2. Coriander powder - 4 tablespoon
3. Chana dal - 2 tablespoon
4. Urad dal - 2 tablespoon
5.  Sesame seeds - 2 tablespoon
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
8. Asafoetida powder/ Hing - 1/4 teaspoon
9. Cinnamon stick - 2-inch piece
10. Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
11. Salt - 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Wash and pat dry the curry leaves. 
2. Heat a pan on medium flame and dry roast coriander, chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, and fenugreek separately until they turn aromatic. Transfer the roast spices to a plate.
3. Dry roast whole red chili for a couple of minutes.
4. Pop the sesame seeds for a couple of seconds and transfer them to a plate.
5. Roast curry leaves and cinnamon stick for a couple of minutes.
6. Let all the ingredients cool down completely.
7. Grind them into a fine powder and store them in an air-tight glass container.

Use this spice mixture whenever you make bisi bele bath.

Thank you Jayashree Trao for the wonderful theme on Sshhh Cooking Secretly challenge. I have been thinking of putting this recipe for a long time and now is the right time to publish it. If you are curious about what Sshh Cooking Secretly challenge is, it is a Facebook group that does monthly challenges. Each month, a theme is chosen and members are paired together.  Two secret ingredients are shared between pairs who make a dish that complies with the theme. The other members are asked to guess the ingredients at the end of the month. 

Jayashree blogs at Evergreen dishes and she has a huge collection Indian cuisines. Do check out her home made pav bhaji masala. 

This month I paired up with Mayuri who is a very talented blogger who blogs at Mayuri's Jikoni. She gave me sesame seeds and curry leaves and here comes my bisi bele bath powder. I gave her Pista and saffron and she made doodh masala/masala milk powder. 

Here I have my bisi bele bath prepared using little millet. 

Sindhi Koki

 Koki is a traditional Sindhi breakfast item. It is very crisp and has a flaky texture. It has wheat flour as the main ingredient with lots of flavor from onions, carom seeds and cumin seeds. Traditionally, the shortening used in this is ghee, but we can replace it with oil as well. It is served along with yogurt and pickle. 

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 2 cups
• Chickpea flour/Besan - 2 tablespoon
• Onions - 1 medium-sized
• Green chilies - 2
• Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Carom seeds/Ajwain - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cilantro - 2-3 tablespoon
• Dried fenugreek leaves/Kasuri methi - 1 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Ghee - 3 tablespoons + more for smearing on koki

Method:

1. Mix together wheat flour, chickpea flour, finely chopped onions, green chilies, cilantro, cumin seeds, carom seeds, Kasuri methi, salt and pepper powder in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Add 3 tablespoons of ghee to the dry ingredients and mix well to get a crumbled texture. 
3. Add water little by little and knead to make a stiff dough. 
4. Rest the dough for at least 15 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into large lemon-sized balls and flatten them to make thick rotis. 
6. Cook on a hot griddle, smearing ghee on both sides. 

For our monthly cooking challenge "Sshhh cooking secretly", I had the opportunity to select a theme for the month of March. I came up with the theme "Flatbreads". The dish can be international or Indian and made on skillets, tawa, oven or grills. 

My partner for this theme is Preeti Tandon Shridhar who gave me ajwain and green chili as my secret ingredients. I gave her yogurt and baking powder and she made delicious puffy bhature. Do check her blog cakes and curries to get the recipe. I have bookmarked her thandai cookies and ginger snap cookies.

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer butter masala is one of the easiest curries you can make in less than 30 minutes. You can serve it alongside naan, roti or jeera rice. Even though I haven't used any cream in this recipe, it tastes just like the ones we get at restaurants. The creaminess is got by grinding cashews. You can also use soaked almonds with the skin removed. 

I am tagging this recipe for the "Homemade restaurant-style food" theme suggested by the "Shh cooking secretly" group on Facebook. This month's theme was suggested by Aruna who blogs at VasusVegKitchen. Do check her restaurant-style curd rice recipe. 

I am paired with Jayashree Trao for this month and she gave me ginger and tomatoes as my secret ingredients. I gave her cumin and onion and she made a delicious lip-smacking Dal Makhani. Jayashree blogs at EverGreen Dishes where you can find a huge collection of recipes. I would love to try her Quinoa dosa recipe.  

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 250 gms
2. Tomato - 2 medium
3. Onion - 1 medium
4. Ginger - 1/2 teaspoon crushed
5. Garlic - 1 teaspoon crushed
6. Cashews/Almonds - 10-12 nos. 
7. Kasuri methi - 1 tablespoon
8. Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
9. Kashmiri chili powder - 1 teaspoon
10. Turmeric powder -1/4 teaspoon
11. Butter - 1 tablespoon
12. Oil - 1 teaspoon
13. Salt  - to taste
14. Sugar - 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan. 
2. Saute chopped onion till they turn translucent.
3. Add the crushed ginger and garlic and saute till the raw smell disappears.
4.  Add the chopped tomatoes and cashews/almonds and cover and cook the tomatoes to turn mushy.
5. Add turmeric powder, chili powder and garam masala. 
6. Turn off the stove and wait for the mixture to cool completely.
7. Blend the mixture to get a fine paste.
8. Put the ground paste back into the pan and turn on the stove on medium flame. 
9. Add in cubed paneer and salt to taste.
10. Add sugar and butter. Simmer the curry for a few minutes. 
11. Turn off the stove, add in crushed kasuri methi leaves and serve hot.

Chutney powder for Idli/Dosa

Chutney powder or chutney podi makes a great accompaniment for dosa and idli. The powder is usually served by mixing it with sesame oil/ghee/coconut oil. It can also be spread on one side of dosa while you make set dosa or masala dosa.  The amount of chili can be adjusted as per your spice preference. In this recipe, I have just used Byadagi chili, but you can replace it with 50% Byadagi chili and 50% Guntur chili. I have added around 2 teaspoons of jaggery in this because my family likes it on a bit sweeter side, but it is completely optional. 

Ingredients:

1. Urad dal - 1/2 cup
2. Byadagi chili whole - 1/2 cup
3. Curry leaves - 4-5 sprig
4. Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
5. Chana dal - 2 teaspoon
6. Jaggery - 2 teaspoon
7. Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
8. Salt - 1 teaspoon or to taste

Method:

1. Dry roast urad dal, chana dal, Kashmiri chili, curry leaves, and sesame seeds separately on low- medium flame. Set aside to cool them to room temperature.
2. Grind the dry roasted ingredients along with the rest of the ingredients.

Chutney powder is ready to serve. It can be stored in a glass container at room temperature. 

Ingredients used for chutney podi

Chutney podi on masala dosa

Linking this recipe for the "Shhh cooking secretly" event on Facebook. This month's theme is "Stick to seeds" which was chosen by Archana. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

Archana blogs at The Mad Scientists Kitchen and there are many interesting reads in her blog. The one which I bookmarked is about the Pegan Diet. My partner for this month is Renu who has a collection of interesting, unique and healthy recipes. Do check out her Quinoa crispies if you are looking for healthy snacking options. For the "Stick to seeds" theme, she gave me asafoetida and jaggery as my secret ingredients and I gave her sunflower seeds. Renu made Sunflower seeds butter which are healthy alternatives to store-bought spreads.   

Green Peas Egg Stir Fry

Green Peas Egg Stir Fry is a perfect side dish for chapathi. It is very easy to make and can be done in less than 30 minutes. This is one of the street-style dishes which you get in Kerala. 

Ingredients:

1. Green peas - frozen/fresh - 1 cup
2. Eggs - 3
3. Onion - 1 medium
4. Tomato - 1
5. Green chilies - 2-3
6. Ginger minced - 1 teaspoon
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
9. Red chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
11. Cilantro for garnishing
12. Salt to taste
13. Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Defrost green peas if you are using frozen ones. 
2. Heat oil in a pan and add minced ginger, slit green chilies, and curry leaves.
3. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.
4. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt. 
5. Add finely chopped tomatoes and stir everything well. Cook till tomatoes turn mushy. 
6. Add the green peas and a couple of tablespoons of water. Cover and cook until the green peas are well done. 
7. If the water is still left in the pan, keep the cover off and let all the water evaporate.
8. At this stay, crack in eggs and keep stirring until eggs are cooked.
9. Garnish with cilantro and the dish is ready to serve. Serve it as a side dish for rice or chapathi. 

This month's theme of "Healthy Ideas" was suggested by our group admins Renu and Mayuri ji. My partner for this month's "Sshhh Challenge" is Priya Vijaykrishnan who blogs at Sweet, Spicy, Tasty. 

She gave me ginger and green chilies and I came up with this dish. I gave her cabbage and curry leaves and she prepared a very delicious cabbage kootu. Priya's blog has a variety of recipes that are a must-try. One among them is Thiruvadhirai Kali. I have seen so many photos of the Thiruvadhirai Kali dish in the month of December and I have been thinking of making it. Priya does have a detailed recipe for the same which I am planning to make. 

Minced turkey puffs

Ingredients:

1. Minced turkey - 1/2 pound
2. Puff pastry sheets 
3. Onion - 1 medium
4. Ginger minced - 1 teaspoon
5. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
6. Tomato - 1 small
7. Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
9. Red chili powder - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Salt to taste
11. Milk - 1 tablespoon for brushing puffs
12. Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Defrost the puff pastry sheets as per the instructions in the package.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add minced ginger and curry leaves.
3. Add finely chopped onion and saute until onions turn translucent.
4. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, and garam masala and mix it for 30 seconds.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn soft.
6. Add the minced turkey and mix it all together. 
7. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the turkey is well done.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line the baking tray with parchment paper. 
9. Cut the puff pastry sheets into rectangular pieces(4 inches x 5 inches). Place the turkey filling on one side and fold it. Press the sides with a fork to seal the edges. Repeat for a required number of puffs.
10. Place the prepared puffs on a baking sheet. Brush with milk to get a glossy texture.
11. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Turn over halfway through. 

Notes: 

• Minced turkey can be replaced with minced chicken. 
• Baking time varies with the brand of puff pastry sheet you use. Always refer to the instructions on its packet.

Linking this recipe for the "Sshhh cooking secretly" event on Facebook. This month's theme is "Christmas Bakes" chosen by our group admins Renu and Mayuriji. My partner for this month Seema gave me onion and curry leaves and I gave her whole wheat flour and salt as her secret ingredients. Seema came up with beautiful Fruit mince pies which make perfect gifts for Christmas. She also has a detailed post on how to make fruit pies. Do visit her blog to check the recipe. 

Ribbon Pakoda

Ingredients:

1. Chickpea flour/Besan - 1 cup
2. Fine rice powder - 1 cup
3. Kashmiri chili powder - 1 tablespoon
4. Fennel seeds/Saunf - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
6. Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 teaspoon
7. Curry leaves - 1-2 sprig
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Use a pestle and mortar or a small mixie jar to powder the fennel seeds. You can alternatively use fennel powder if you have that in hand.
2. Take a large mixing bowl and mix together chickpea powder, rice powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder, asafoetida, and salt. 
3. Add water a little at a time and mix together to make a smooth dough(like a chapathi dough).
4. Grease the inside of the mold and use the ribbon pakkoda plate. See the picture below.
5. Fill the dough in the mold and squeeze it directly into the hot oil. 
6. Turn it a couple of times and remove it from the oil when it turns golden brown in color. 
7. Repeat for the rest of the dough.
8. Wash and dry the curry leaves. Fry them in the same oil and mix it with ribbon pakoda.
9. Break the ribbon pakoda into smaller pieces. 
10. Enjoy with a cup of hot tea.

Note:

1. These can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for more than a week. 
2. I prefer to use coconut oil to get the authentic Kerala snack taste. But you can use any vegetable oil for deep frying.  

Mold with Ribbon Pakoda plate

Dry fruits Laddoo

Dry fruit laddoos are sugar free and contain dates as sweeting agent. These can be eaten guilt free during this festival season. I have added almonds and pumpkin seeds in this recipe. But I think you can include any other combinations of nuts as per your choice and likings. I have roasted the nuts in ghee which is an optional step. You can totally avoid it if you want to make this vegan.

They are very easy to make and can be prepared in less than 15 minutes. Try to make this dish during this diwali season and let me know your opinions in the comments section.

Ingredients:

1. Dates - 1 cup

2. Almonds - 1/2 cup

3. Pumpkin seeds - 1/4 cup

4. Ghee - 1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Remove the seeds from dates and set aside. 

2. Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a wide pan. 

3. Roast almonds and pumpkin seeds for couple of minutes and set aside.

4. In the same pan, roast dates for a minute. 

5. Let the dates and dry fruits cool to room temperature.

6. First grind the dates in a mixer-grinder. Then add almonds and pumpkin seeds to dates paste and grind them all together.

7. Make small roundels and dry fruits laddoos are ready to eat.

"Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme is "DIWALI DHAMAKA" and it was chosen by admins Renu and Mayuri ji. Mayuri ji made a mouth watering Kalakand with cottage cheese. Renu made a easy milk powder chocolate ladoo which I think my kids would love it. 

My partner for Oct 2021 is Sasmita. She gave me pumpkin seeds and dates as my secret ingredients. I gave her chhena and cardamom as her ingredients. She made a traditional Odia sweet dish - Chhena Jhili. Her photography is spot on and please do visit her blog to see a huge  collection of Odia dishes. 

Paneer Pulao

This Paneer Pulao is a one-pot dish that is very easy to make and can be done in less than 30 minutes. You can replace the paneer with soya chunks. Also, we can also add other veggies like carrots, green peas, and potatoes. But for this recipe, I have kept it simple with just paneer as the main ingredient. 

Ingredients:

1. Jeeragasala rice or basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Paneer - 200 gms 
3. Onion - 1 medium 
4. Tomatoes - 2 medium 
5. Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tablespoon 
6. Mint leaves - 1 handful 
7. Cilantro - 1 handful 
8. Chili powder(Kashmiri) - 1-2 teaspoon 
9. Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
10. Garam masala  - 1/4      teaspoon
11. Cardamom - 3 nos.
12. Cinnamon - 1 small stick
13. Cloves - 6 nos.
14. Bay leaves - 2
15. Salt to taste
16. Ghee - 1 tablespoon
17. Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. 
3. Add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves and saute till it turns aromatic.
4. Add thinly sliced onions and saute till they turn translucent.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and mint leaves. Saute till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes away.
6. Add chili powder and salt to taste. 
7. Drink 2 tomatoes and add the paste to it. Cook till the oil separates.
8. At this stage, add cubed paneer and drained rice and mix for a couple of minutes.
9. Add 3.5 cups of hot water to this and put the lid on.
10. Pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame.
11. Let the pressure subside manually and open the pressure cooker.
12. Serve this paneer pulao with cucumber-yogurt salad and pickle.

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme was "Exotic Biriyani and Pulao" and it was chosen by Swaty Malik who blogs at Food Trails. She made a very exotic Jackfruit Biriyani for this theme. Also, I can't wait to try her Zafrani Pulao. My partner for Sep 2021 is Kalyani Sri. She gave me fennel seeds and onions as my secret ingredients. I gave her saffron and ghee and she made an Instant Pot vegetable biriyani. Do check her blog for a large collection of recipes. I cant wait to try her Avalakki Bisibelebhath.

Lebanese Chicken Seekh Kabab

I got the recipe for Lebanese Chicken Kofta Kabab from YouTube. It was made by Mark Weins himself, a Youtuber who got the recipe during his travel to Baalbek, Lebanon. This authentic recipe is made using ground lamb, but here tried using chicken. Parsley is one of the key ingredients in this dish. I have tried with both Curly parsley and Falt leaf parsley and both taste equally good. The Lebanese 7 spice seasoning is a mixture of black pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg. If you cannot find one, you can replace it with garam masala. 

I have had this recipe of Lebanese Kofta kabab on my to-do list for a long time. Incidentally, the group which I follow on Facebook, "Sshhh Cooking Secretly" had a kabab theme for the month of August, and no doubt I wanted to make this dish. 

This month's theme was chosen by Sujata Roy who blogs at Batter Up With Sujata. I can't wait to try her Veg Galouti Kababs. My partner for Aug 2021 is Narmada from Nam's Corner. She gave me onion and lemon juice as my secret ingredients. I gave her cumin powder and beans and she made Veg Seekh Kabab. Do check her blog for the recipe. Also, I cant wait to try her whole wheat bhatura recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 1 pound/1/2 kg
2. Onion - 1 large
3. Garlic - 4-5 cloves
4. Parley - 1 bunch
5. Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
6. Lebanese 7 - spice seasoning or garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Black pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Salt to taste
9. Olive oil - 1 tablespoon for brushing 

Method:

1. Wash the chicken pieces and drain off the water completely by placing it in a colander. 
2. Use a food processor to mince the chicken. 
3. Add the minced chicken to a large mixing bowl and add finely chopped onion, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, garam masala, pepper powder and salt.
4. Mix well until everything is well combined. 
5. Roll and place the chicken mix around a skewer and grill them.

Note:

1. If you think the minced chicken mixture is not holding well on a skewer, add a little chickpea flour/besan to make it thicker. 

 

Punugulu

Punugulu is an Andhra dish made using leftover idli/dosa batter. The fermented batter is mixed with rice flour and semolina to make it a thick batter. Flavoring agents like onion, ginger and green chilies are added and then the batter is deep-fried in oil. This can be served with chutney or it can be eaten as-is. It is one of the easiest tea-time snacks one can make. 

Ingredients:

1. Idli batter - 2 cups
2. Rice flour - 2 tbsp
3. Rava/Semolina - 2 tbsp
4. Onion - finely chopped - 1/4 cup
5. Ginger - grated - 1 tsp
6. Green chili - 2 or as per your spice level
7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
8. Coriander leaves - 1 tsp
9. Salt - to taste
10. Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. Take the fermented idli batter in a large mixing bowl and add rice flour and rava.
2. Add finely chopped onion, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, and salt.
3. Mix well until everything is well combined. Make sure there are no lumps of rice flour and rava.
4. Heat oil in medium flame and drop small lemon-sized balls in oil.
5. Fry on medium flame until it turns golden brown in color.

Serve hot with a cup of tea. 

"Shhhhh Cooking  Secretly" is a monthly challenge in the Facebook group. At the beginning of the month, a theme is chosen by one of the participants and all the participants are grouped in pairs. The participants will exchange 2 secret ingredients with their partners who are supposed to prepare a dish that matches the theme of that month.

This month's theme was "Monsoon treats" and it was chosen by Shobha Keshwani who blogs at ShobhasFoodMazaa. She made Drumstick leaves soup for this theme. Also, I can't wait to try her Rice and Mixed Dal Dhoklas. My partner for July 2021 is Aruna SarasChandra. She gave me ginger and onions as my secret ingredients. I gave her thuthuvalai(SOLANUM TRILOBATUM) and curry leaves and she made a very popular rasam from Tamil Nadu - Thuthuvalai rasam. Do check her blog for the recipe. Also, I cant wait to try her homemade chocolate recipe and Schezwan chutney.