SWAADU

Sweet n Sour Mango Curry

2009-04-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Mangoes are always my favourite.Especially raw mangoes.Love them with salt and chilli powder.Hmm..my mouth is watering now.Recently when i went to Indian grocery shop i saw mangoes.I couldnt stop myself...Who can say no to mango..Bought it and came back home.
While my hus and my kid were waiting i bought a plate full of cut mangoes.Immediately each of us had one in our mouth..Oh its sour....u should watch my daughters expression..My husband was not happy about the sourness.He always loved ripe mangoes.But u know what? I was more happier by its sour taste..Finally I myself completed the whole plate with salt and chilli powder..
I enjoyed eating every bit of it..
Still so many uncut mangoes were remaining.My husband suggested to make some curry with those remaining mangoes..So that he can also eat..
So the next day mango was in my pan on the stove..
This is a curry with sweet and sour mango.My mother in law used to make this curry.But i made some variations to it.Here is the recipe..

1.Clean and peal the skin of 2 mango.Cut into square piece aroud 2 inch..or whatever shape u prefer..but dont make it too small..
2.Boil cut mangoes with enough salt, 1/2 Tsp chilli powder, 1/4 Tsp turmeric powder, 1- 1/2 cups of water(adjust accordingly).
3.This will take very less time may be a couple of minutes..We dont want it very soft and mushy..
4.Put some grated jaggery.I added around 1 Tsp.This gives a very good twist to the sourness.
5.Take a kadai.Heat some oil.
6.Put some mustard seeds and a pinch of hing powder to it.
7.Add 1/2 finely chopped onions and 4-5 curry leaves to it.
8.As soon as the onions are very much transparent add this to the mango gravy.
9.Hmmm...Your sweet n sour mango curry is ready.
Have this with boiled rice.I had this with boiled rice and cheera varavu(this is actually thoran or stir fry something like that.In northern side of Kerala this is called varavu)..This is one of the most comforting lunch for me..

!!Green Green Green!!

2009-04-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

Green is a color which always look fresh and healthy for me..Spring is here..In front of my apartment there are grasses with a bright green color..looks fresh..feels so fresh..So why dont we make something so green ,so healthy so tasty..
This is snowpeas and sprouted green gram upperi .

Ingredients

Sprouted green gram -1 cup

snow peas-2 cups

coconut grated-2 tbsp

garlic crushed-3 cloves

Dry red chilli-2

mutard seeds-1 tsp

salt as needed

Method

1.Cut snow peas very finely.

2.Take a pan and heat oil.

3.Put mustard seeds.

4.when mustard seeds pops add garlic crushed and red chillies.Make sure not to burn garlic

5.Add the snow peas and salt.

6.Let it cook .When it is almost done add green gram and give it a toss.Green gram do not need much cooking.It will taste good if it is little crunchy..

7.Add coconut.mix everrything properly..

8.U are ready to say Green Green Green...

This is my entry to My Legume Love Affair and linking to
Susan's The Well Seasoned Cook.

Ariyum Kadalayum(Black chana Rice)

2009-03-13T05:17:00.000-07:00

This is from our breakfast menu.Dont know if any one other than a few families in north kerala makes this for breakfast.Any way my family enjoys having this with boiled egg or boiled banana or even spicy mixture.

Be ready with
White rice(basmathi preferrable)-1 cup
Black chana -1/2 cup
coconut grated-2 Tbsp
mustard seeds- 1tsp
curry leaves-5-6 leaves
red chilli-1

1.Cook black chana in a pressure cooker.
2.In the same water used for cooking chana,cook rice according to which type of rice you are using.For 1 cup basmati rice 1-1/2 cup water is enough.After it get boiled cook it for 10 minutes in gentle simmer.Then switch of the flame and keep it covered for 5 minutes.U can add chana along with this.Dont forget to add salt.
3.After rice and chana is done add coconut and mix well.
4.In a kadai,take some oil and put mustard seeds.After seeds splutter add redchilli and curry leaves.
5.Pour this over rice and chana.
Ur food is ready to eat..
This recipe is my entry to Single serving recipes by Sahaja of My Experiments in kitchen and CFK-Rice by Trupti and Sharmi of Naivedyam.

Chicken sukka

2009-03-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

My in laws were born and brought up in kerala karnataka border.So they have a mixed culture of both kerala and karanataka.The same is in there cooking too.This recipe is their version of karnatakas chikken sukka.This is very easy to make but at the same time filled with the aroma of coconut and spices.

Chicken - 1.5 kg
coconut shredded- 1.5 cup
red chilli powder-3 Tsp
corianderpowder-2.5 Tsp
turmeric powder-0.5 Tsp
Cumin seeds-1 Tbsp
Garlic chopped-1 Tbsp
Onion -1
mustard seeds-1 TSp
fenugreek seeds-1/2 Tsp
curryleaves-1 string
Oil- 2 Tbsp

Clean the chicken . Mix it with chilli powder, coriander powder , turmeric powder nad salt and heat it in a pan.When the chicken is half done put garlic chopped,cumin seeds,3/4 cup of coconut shredded and continue heating.
In the mean time fry the remmaining coconut powder in a nonstick pan till golden brown.When chicken is done, take a kadai.Heat some oil.Put mustard seeds ,fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.After spluttering add chopped onion.Fry till golden brown.
Put the onion mixture and fried coocnut over the prepared chicken..
Ur chicken with coconut is ready.

Tomato onion chutney

2009-02-27T06:35:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favourite chutney which goes well with rava dosa, ada dosa,urad doas..any dosas.Its spicy and tangy taste can always win anyones heart..
Toamto-1
Onion -1/2
Green chilli-1-2
Tamarind-a small ball
Oil- 1 Tsp
Salt as needed

Heat oil in a pan.Add onions.Saute it till tranparent.Add tomatos and chilli( u can increase the number of green chilli according to ur desire).Saute it again.Till it becomes mushy.Then allow it to cool.
Grind the paste along with tamarind and salt.
Ur easy and tasty tomato onion chutney is ready.

Ada dosa

2009-02-27T06:23:00.000-08:00

This is a a variety dosa recipe which can be made without fermenting.This goes well with tomato chutney or coconut chutney.And its nutritious too ..
Here goes the recipe..

1 cup-raw rice
1 cup-kerala rice(matta rice)
1/3 cup-toor daal
1/3 cup-chana daal(kadala parippu)
red chilli-1 or 2
Hing powder-1 pinch
curry leaves - 1 string
salt and water as needed

Soak raw rice,kerala rice, toor daal and chana daal in water overnight.
Next day grind rice and daal with chilli,curry leaves and hing.
U dont need to make it very fine paste.it should be slightly grainy.
Add more water than we add for normal dosa.But the batter should not flow when we pour on the pan.
Add salt and mix it well.
It will be good if we use sesame oil for making this dosa.But i use canola oil.
So grease the pan.Pour the batter.Close the lid.wait for it to be cooked..
ur hot tasty and nutritious ada dosa is ready..

Idiyappam

2009-02-26T14:53:00.000-08:00

This is one of our favourite breakfast item.
Rice powder-1 cup
oil-1Tsp
water-1 1/4(one and a quarter cup)
salt-as needed
1.Boil water with salt
2.Take rice powder in a bowl and add the oil.
3.Pour the boiling water over the powder and mix well.
4.Using the Idiyappam press, press the batter into strings on a greased idly pan.
5.Put some coocnut over each idiyappam.
6.Steam it for 10 minutes.
Enjoy ur hot idiyappam with potato or chicken stew..

Raw mango curry

2009-02-11T06:35:00.000-08:00

Mango -1
Green chilli-1
Onion-1/2
Hing(asfoetida)- 1or2-pinch
mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
coriander leaves-1-2 Tbsp
1.Cook raw mango and chilli nicely with salt and enough water.
2.Mash the cooked mango and chilli nicely so that no chunks shud be there.And nu can remove the skin if u dont like its taste.Adjust the consistency accordingly by adding water.
3.Put the chopped raw onion and coriander leaves into this.
3.Heat oil in a kadhai.Splutter some mustard seeds and hing.
4.pour this over the mango curry.
Have the tangy mango curry with hot rice..

Black eyed beans curry

2009-02-10T05:52:00.000-08:00

This is a quick fix curry for working ladies.So easy to make and tasty too.

1. Soak 2 cups of blackeyed beans for about 4 hours.
2. Pressure cook it. After its done add 1 tomato chopped and boil it till tomatoes are cooked.
3. In a kadhai, heat 1 TBsp of oil.SPlutter some mustard seeds, 1 TBsp urad daal and some curry leaves.
4. Add 1 TBsp coriander powder, 1/2 Tsp turmeric powder, 1 Tsp chilli powder. Be careful not to burn the powders. The flame should be very very low.
5. Mix everything together and u will have a good and easy curry for chappathi or rice.

Pongal

2009-02-06T10:11:00.001-08:00

Rice-3/4 cup
Tuvar daal-1/2 cup
Ghee-1 Tbsp
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Pepper powder-1/4 tsp
curry leaves.
Pressure cook washed rice,daal and around 5 cups of water.It should be in a mashed consistency.Then heat ghee in a kadai.Add cumin seeds, pepper powder,curry leaves.Let it splutter and pour this over the daal rice mixture.Add salt.
Eat it piping hot with coconut chutney or any spicy mixture for ur breakfast..U will feel so fresh to have a nice day.

Idly kaduku varuthathu.

2009-02-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

Whenever my mom cooks idly for breakfast she will make some extra and when me and my brother come home from school ,my mom give us this dish.There is no need of curry for this and still its tasty.
Leftover Idly- 4 or 5
mustard seeds-1 tsp
urad daal-1 tsp
Curry leaves
red chilly-1
oil
Heat oil in a nonstick pan.Add the mustard seeds and urad daal.After that add red chill and curry leaves.Finally add square cut pieces of idly.Mix it well and eat it.
u can add little salt if necessary.

Idly

2009-02-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

Raw rice-1 cup
kerala rice or matta rice-1/3 cup
urad daal-1/3 cup

Idly and Sambhar is always my favourite..I and S can go on eating idlies..Once a week or may be twice i make idly for breakfast.Steaming hot idlies with sambhar or chutney or kadal curry or cherupayaru curry or even chickencurry..Have tried lots of combinations..And everything has conquered my toungue..
Soak rice and urad daal in water seperately for 6-8 hours.Then grind urad daal first to as fine paste as u can..Usually it will come out good, if u grind in stone grinder.U can see it increasing in volume as u grind.But in normal mixie this wont happen.But still try to make it very fine paste.Then grind rice.Mix together nicely.Add water as needed.Keep it for fermenting for may be 8 hours.I usually grind it at night and make it the next day morning.AFter fermenting add salt and again mix it.Grease the idly stand with oil.pour the batter.Steam it in gentle simmer flame for around 12-14 minutes.
Serve the soft idlies..

Spicy Chicken Masala

2009-02-06T08:43:00.001-08:00

Chicken-1.5 Kilos
oil-3-4 Tbsp
cinnamon-1 inch
cloves-3
cardomom-3
bay leaf-1
onion-3 medium
Ginger garlic paste-2 tbsp
coriander powder-2tbsp
chilly powder-2 Tsp
pepper powder-1 tsp
turmeric powder-.5 tsp
Meat masala powder-2 TBsp
curryleaves-as u wish

Heat oil in a pan.Add cinnamon,cardomom,cloves and bay leaf.Add the sliced onions.
Saute it till transparent.Add GG paste.saute it till oil oozes out.
Add coriander powder,chilly powder,pepper powder,meat masala.Saute it till raw smell goes.Then add chicken and mix it well.Close the lid of the pan and let it boil for 15minutes.Dont add any water.Then mix it again and boil it for another 15 minutes or till the water reduces without the lid.I like the consistency to be very thick paste like.After that splutter some mustard seeds and lot of curryleaves in another pan and mix everything together.At this moment ur house will smell like heaven..Ur curry is ready to eat..