Pinneapple Pachadi

Pineapple -1/2
Grated coconut - 3  tbsp
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 1 tbsp
Green chilies - 2 nos
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Salt - As reqd
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dry red chillies(Kollamulaku) - 2 nos
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - A few
sugar -1tsp
Thick curd (not sour) - 1 glass

Peel off the skin of the pineapple and cut it into very tiny pieces. Cook them in a vessel along with chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt,sugar, and slit green chilies. Grind together coconut and cumin seeds.
When the pineapple gets fully cooked, add the ground coconut mixture.Allow the mixture to get cooked. 
Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds, dry red pepper and curry leaves.Add the above seasoning into the pineapple mixture. Allow it to cool. Add curd and stir it to get the reqd consistency. 

Rajma Masala

Rajma ( Red kidney beans) -2cups
Salt To taste
Pinch Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Onions, chopped - 2
Garlic cloves, chopped -4-5
inch Ginger, chopped - 1tsp
Green chillies, chopped -3
Tomatoes, chopped -3
Corainder powder -1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder -1 tsp
Garam masala -1/2 tsp
Bay leaves-2
Oil -2 tbsp
Handful Corainder leaves

Pressure cook rajma with five cups of water and salt till totally cooked and soft. Heat oil in a deep pan. Add bay leaves and onion (you can grate the onion if you wish). Add ginger and garlic and continue to sauté till the mixture turns golden. Add tomato puree, mix and continue to cook. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and cook till the oil leaves the masala. Add rajma along with the cooking liquour and mix. Adjust salt and add garam masala powder. Lower the heat and simmer for about fifteen to twenty minutes on low heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Gopi Palak

Sliced Onion - 1 
Chopped garlic - 2 cloves,
Grated ginger - 1/2 tsp
bay leaf - 1
cloves - 2
cinnamon - 1/2 inch
Finely chopped tomato - 1 
green chilies - 1 or 2
spinach - 3 bunches , chopped
garam masala - pinch
coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Cauliflower - 1/2 cut into small pieces
Pepper- 1tsp
Corn flour-1tbsp
Oil 
salt to taste

Marinate Cauliflower with salt, pepper ,turmeric pwd and corn flour.Keep it for 30 minutes.Then Deep fry the cauliflower.Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Add onion and saute till pink.Add fried cauliflower, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and saute.  Cook it  for 2 minutes.Add tomatoes, green chilies and spinach and cook till spinach is done. Add some more salt to taste. Keep frying on high heat till oil starts to separate and all the water has evaporated.

Same recipe can be used for Aloo Palak and for Palak chicken.Instead of Cauliflower use Potatoes for Aloo Palak and chicken for Palak chicken.You can even put marinated cauliflower with out deep frying.

Aviyal

Elephant yam (Chena) - 1/4
Cucumber (Vellarika) -1/2
String beans - 25g
Carrot - 2
Raw banana- 1
Drumstick - 2
Snake gourd (Padavalanga) - 1/2
Salt As required
Coconut -1 cup
Shallot -4
Green chilly- 2
Chilly powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Cumin powder -1/4 tsp
Curd -2tbsp
Curry leaves 2 stem
Coconut oil 1 tablespoon

Wash all the vegetables and cut into 2 inch long pieces.Add required water and salt and cook.Grind ingredients Coconut 1 cup , Shallot 4 , Green chilly 2 , Chilly powder 1 teaspoon , Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon, Cumin powder ¼ teaspoon coarsely.Add this to the cooked vegetables. When cooked properly add curd and curry leaves and mix well.Add coconut oil and remove from fire.

Summer Vegetable salad

Carrot -3
Green zucchini-1
Cherry tomatoes-1 cup
Red bell pepper- 1
Yellow  bell pepper-1
Fresh cauliflowerets-1 cup
Fresh broccoli florets-1 cup
Basil leaves -1 cup
Romaine lettuce
Green Peas -1 cup
Olives
Curd  - 4 tbsp
Cilantro,mint-1 tbsp
Salt and pepper as required

.

 Toss  all ingredients together.Marinate  vegetables with curd , cilantro,mint,pepper,garlic ,salt.
Serve salad with backed potato or cutlets.

Puli Inji

Ginger - peeled and cut into small pieces - 2 cups (250 gms)
Green chillies - 7 - 8 nos
Red chillies - 2
Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 1 strand
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds(Uluva) - A pinch
Sugar/Jaggery(Sharkkara) - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Heat oil in a pan.Fry the chopped ginger, until brown.Remove the ginger into a plate and keep it aside.In the same oil, fry the green chillies and remove them too from the flame.In the same oil, add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds red chilly and coriander leaves and let the mustards crackle.Add the fried ginger and the fried chillies along with the tamarind water so that all the ingredients are inmmersed in the liquid. Add sugar or jaggery and let the solution become very thick and viscous.

Sambhar

Red gram(Thuvaraparippu) – As reqd
Shallots/Red onions(Kunjulli) – 5-6
Drumstick(Muringakkai) – 2 nos
Carrots – 2 nos Potatoes (medium) – 2 nos
Cucumber– 1/4 
snake gourd-1/4
Elephant yam -1/4
Tomatoes – 2 nos
Lady’s finger(Vendakkai) – 10 nos
Fenugreek seeds(Uluva) – A pinch 
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) – A pinch
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Sambhar powder(optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Salt – As reqd
oil - 1 tsp
Tamarind water-1/4 cup or as required
Coriander leaves – A bunch

Cook the red gram in a pressure cooker along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder, a pinch of salt and the reqd qty of water.Heat a pan and splutter mustard seeds, fenugreek and jeera.)Add onions and sauté for a while till they become very light golden in colour.Add coriander powder, chilly powder and turmeric powder along with a tsp of sambhar powder which is optional.Saute till the raw smell goes.Add the vegetables along with some water. Stir well.Add the tamarind water .Close the pan and cook the vegetables.Add salt as required.Once the vegetables are cooked, add the cooked red gram or dal and mix well.Add little water and bring to a boil or till the required consistency is reached.Finally, add coriander leaves .Serve hot with idly or  dosa or even with rice.

Pavakka Puli (Bitter gourd in sweet and hot sauce)

This is one my favorite curry that Amma used to make...I like the bitter gourd very much . This curry is such an awesome one  even if the people who didn't like bitter gourd can also enjoy....

Bitter gourd(Pavakka) - 2 nos medium
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Black pepper - 8 nos
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 3 nos
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Tamarind paste(Puli)  - 1 tsp
Jaggery(Sharkkara) - 1 cube
Salt - As reqd
Oil -3 tbsp

Bitter gourd should chopped into fine pieces .Mix it well with a little salt and a 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and keep it aside.Fry the  pieces, till it becomes slightly brown. Keep aside.Heat up a pan or a kadai..Add  coconut and fry, till the coconut turns dark brown. add turmeric powder ,chilly powder and coriander powder.fry for few minutes.Add black pepper. Grind it to a fine paste. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan or a kadai. Splutter mustard seeds and 1 tsp of black gram. Add green chillies and curry leaves. Add tamarind pulp and jaggery and cook for 5 mins. Add the ground paste and allow it to boil. When it starts to boil, add bitter gourd pieces. Add salt, if required.

Aloo Mutter

Potato - 1 med cut into cubes
Peas - 1 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Onions - 1 large chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1 med pureed
Green Chilli - 2 nos chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Boil potatoes and drain. in a pan add oil and splutter cumin seeds. Then add in the onion and ginger garlic paste till oinons turn to almost pinkish brown. Then add in the onions and saute till pulpy. Then add in the masala except garam masala. Suate till raw smell leaves and then add in the potoaes and peas. Mix and add water of around 1 1/2 cup. sprinkle garam masala and salt and cover and cook till gravy thickens.To get more thickened gravy smash in few of the cooked potatoes. 

Cabbage Thoran

Finely shredded cabbage -2cups
Grated coconut -1/2 cup 
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp 
Red chilli powder -3/4 tsp 
Cooking oil -2 tsp 
Mustard seeds-1 tsp 
Urad dal -1/2 tsp 
Salt  to taste

Mix grated coconut with turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Keep aside.Heat oil in a non - stick kadai. Add mustard seeds. When they start splutter add urad dal and saute on a low heat for 2 -3 minutes till they turn brown.Add finely shredded cabbage and sprinkle 2 tbsp of water. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Add grated coconut mix and salt to taste. Mix well and cook again for 7- 8 minutes till dry. Serve with rice.

Cabbage Mezhukkupuratti (Cabbage fry)

Cabbage cut into big cubes-2Cups
Shallots sliced-1/2 Cup
Dry Red Chilly-3-5
Curry Leaves-1 Sprig
Oil-1 ½ Tablespoons
Mustard seeds-1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder-1/4 Teaspoon
Salt as needed

Crush together Shallots and Dry Red Chilly together and keep aside till ready to be used.
Heat Oil in a pan on medium high heat and splutter the Mustard Seeds..Add the crushed Shallot- Dry Red Chilly mixture, Turmeric Powder, and Curry Leaves and saute for a minute.Add  Cabbage and Salt; mix really well and fry on high heat for a minute.

Padavalanga Thoran (Snake gourd in grated coconut )

Snake Gourd (Padavalanga)  1
Grated coconut- 1 cup
Chilly 3
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder a pinch
Coconut oil -2tbsp
 Mustard seed -1/2 tsp
 Dry red chilly -2
 Curry leaves -1 strig
 Small Onion- 2
 Salt As required

Cut the well washed and cleaned snake gourd into small pieces, add a little salt and cook. Grind ingredients coconut,chilly turmeric and cumin . Add the coconut paste to the cooked snake gourd. Heat oil in another pan, splutter mustard seed, add curry leaves, dry red chilly, chopped small onion. Add this to the cooked mixture and saute well.

Kappa Vevichathu/Steamed Tapioca

Tapioca (Kappa) - 1
Coconut grated -1 small cup
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Urad dal  -1tbsp
Curry leaves -2 sprig
Salt - to taste

Peel the skin of the tapioca and then wash it thoroughly. Cut it into medium small pieces.  Take these tapioca pieces in a vessel and pour enough water so that all the pieces are submerged completely. Add some salt and bring it to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes or until all the pieces are cooked through and soft. Drain the excess water. Serve the boiled pieces as such or make it more flavourful by adding a seasoning of mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Sprinkle some freshly grated coconut on top

Vendakka Kichadi(Pachadi)

Ladies Finger  – ¼ kg
Coconut grated  – ½ coconut
Cumin – few
Garlic – 2-3
Ginger – a small piece
Mustard– some
Salt – to taste
Green chilly – 2-3
Curd  – according to your requirement
Red dried chilly – 2 (cut in two pieces)
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

 Cook and fry it in a kadai and keep it aside. Cut the ladies finger in small round pieces. Grind coconut grated, cumin, garlic, ginger, green chilly and salt together.You could Grind them by pouring curd to it instead of water as this brings in more flavor.In a vessel, take some oil and once it is heated add some mustard seeds. When it pops add the dried red chilly to it and the curry leaves. Then add the coconut grinded mixture to it and once it is boiled add the ladies finger to it. 

Eggplant Vindaloo

Eggplant – 1 (cut into medium pieces)
Onion (chopped) – 2
Tomato (chopped) – 1
Mustard seeds – 2 tsp
Cumin seeds–1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds  – 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1tsp
Red chilly powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste –  1 tbsp
Salt
Coriander leaves

Heat a kadai and fry 1tsp mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds on low flame  . Then grind it to a powder.
Deep fry eggplant pieces and keep aside..
Make a paste by grinding turmeric powder, red chilly powder,ginger-garlic paste,vinegar and above powdered mix.
Heat oil in a pan.Splutter mustard seeds.sauté chopped onions till brown and once it is done add the masala paste to it and stir well..once the raw smell goes add chopped tomatoes to it.
Finally add fried eggplant pieces and salt.
Cover and cook with little water till done.
Garnish with coriander leaves.