Palak Pakoda

Palak is known as Spinach in english. There are many indian delicacies made from palak - the most popular one being Palak Paneer. Today I am going to share a different recipe of palak - Palak Pakoda. I had this pakoda first during a trip to Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra few years back. I had it from a small road side tea stall and they made it fresh in front of me.
So here's the recipe

Ingredients:

Spinach leaves - 8 to 10
Oil for Frying

For the Batter:

Bengal Gram Flour Or Besan  -  1 cup
Rice Flour - 2 tbsp
Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp        
Salt - As per taste
Asafoetida - 2 pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Water - As required

Method:

Mix all the ingredients for batter with water. Make a paste little thick than dosa batter.
Clean spinach leaves and wipe to remove water.
Heat oil in a flat pan. Dip the spinach leaves in the batter and fry in oil.
Turn both sides till golden brown color.
Remove into paper towel to drain excess oil.
Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

 

Curd Rice

Curd rice is a typical south indian dish which is quiet easy to make, light on stomach and gives you lot of energy as well. It is made in different ways at different parts of south india but the basic idea is to mix cooked rice and little sour curd with some salt. And the variations include adding some fruits like pomegranate or grapes and even fried cashew nuts or raisins. Here's my version of a very simple curd rice.

Ingredients:

Rice                         1 cup, cooked well.

Curd                         2 cups

Salt                           As per taste

For Seasoning:

Small onion              3-4, finely chopped

Curry leaves             Few

Green Chilli             3-4, chopped

Ginger                      1 inch piece, finely chopped

Mustard                    1 tsp

Oil                            2 tsp

Method:

Cook rice very well and keep aside.
Heat oil in a small pan to make seasoning, add mustard and when they splutter add ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Add onion and fry for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Mix curd and rice well. Add salt as per taste. Add the seasoning and keep for 15 minutes.
Serve with your favorite pickle or rice crackers.

Note: If you are using sour curd, mix rice with milk and add only 2 tablespoon of sour curd. Mix and keep for 3 to 4 hours. Your curd rice is ready!!!

Mushroom Curry

Mushroom is my favourite and there are many ways I love to have them.
This is a simple mushroom curry which is easy to make and goes well with chapathi, naan, parotta, dosa and even rice if you like.
Just make sure you buy fresh mushrooms and don't buy and keep it in fridge for more than 2 days.
Check the expiry date on the label also to be sure because sometimes it is difficult to know when the mushrooms have gone bad.
Here's my recipe for a simple mushroom curry.

Ingredients:
Mushroom 250 gm
Tomato 2 medium
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric Poder 1/4 tsp
Corriander Leaves
Oil

For Masala:
Onion 1 Big
Garlic 6-8 cloves
Ginger 1" piece
Corriander Powder 2 tsp
Chilli Powder 1 1/2 tsp
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Elaichi 1
Cloves 2
Cinnamon 1 piece
Fennel Seeds 1 tsp

Method:
Fry all the ingredients for Masala. Allow it to cool and grind to make a paste.
Heat Oil in a cooker. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, tomato. Add turmeric powder.
Fry well and add the masala paste.
Fry till the masala is well cooked. Add mushrooms cut in any size you like.
Add salt and 1 cup water. Add some corriander leaves.
Pressure cook for 4 whistles. Serve hot with Roti or naan.

Molaga Bajji

 

Molaga Bajji is the most tempting sight when you visit any beach in chennai.
Garlands of fresh green chillies make them even more tempting and it is very difficult to have a stroll on the beach without giving it a try.
They have always been my favourite on my every single visit to beach.
At home, there is no match to hot molaga bajjis with tomato sauce on a rainy day.
So here you go........

Ingredients:

Bajji Molaga (Chilli) 4

For the filling:
Boiled and mashed Potatoes 2 medium
Red Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 pinch
Salt As per taste

For the batter:
Besan (Gram flour) 1 cup
Rice flour 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 pinch
Asafoetida 2 pinch
Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying
Method:

Mix all the ingredients for batter with sufficient water to make a thick batter.
Mix the ingredients for filling and keep aside.
Make long slits into the bajji chillies to stuff filling inside- make sure not to slit them at the stem.
Stuff the chillies with potato filling and dip in the batter to coat well.
Deep fry in hot oil on medium flame till golden brown on all sides.
Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Stew / Ishtu

Stew is a typical kerala curry made from coconut milk and potato apart from other ingredients.
For me and my husband stew is our favourite combination with idly and dosa.
Its very simple to make and is ready in no time.
Here's the recipe

Ingredients:

Potato                   4, Boiled and cubed

Coconut milk         From 1 coconut
     3rd Extract       1   cup
     2nd Extract      1   cup
     1st Extract        1/2 cup

Onion                    1 Large, thinly sliced

Ginger                   1 inch piece, Juvenile

Green Chilli           4 to 5, slit into two

Curry leaves          Few

Salt                       As per taste

Coconut Oil          1 tbsp

Method:

Cook boiled and cubed potatoes, onion, ginger and green chilli in 3rd extract coconut milk.
When well cooked, add salt and 2nd extract coconut milk. Allow to boil.
Add 1st extract coconut milk and remove from heat after just one boil.
Add curry leaves and coconut oil, cover with a lid and keep for 10 to 15 minutes before serving with hot idlies.

 

Rava Semiya Kichadi

Who needs a break from the usual rava, semiya or aval upma???
Here's a treat for all those who said yes - its Rava Semiya Kichadi.
All you need to make this is Rava, Semiya and the usual upma ingredients.
So without wasting much time lets go straight to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Roasted Rava                      1 cup
Roasted Semiya                   1 cup
Onion                                  1 Finely chopped
Green chilli                           4 to 5 Finely chopped
Ginger                                  1/4 inch piece, Finely chopped
Mustard                               1 tsp
Chana Dal                            1 tsp
Curry Leaves                       Few
Turmeric Powder                 1/4 tsp
Salt                                      1 1/2 tsp or As per taste
Ghee                                    1 tsp
Oil                                        2 tsp
Water                                   3 cups

Method:

Cook roasted semiya in boiling water for 5 minutes and drain.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, chana dal, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves.
Add onion and fry well. Add turmeric powder and 3 cups of water and salt and allow to boil.
Add roasted rava when water boils and cook in low flame for 1 minute.
Add Semiya, mix well and add ghee.
Cover and cook for 1 minute in low flame.
Remove from stove and serve hot.

 

Fish Fry/Meen Porichathu

This is a simple fish fry which anyone can make. I learnt this from my mother in law who is a great cook.

I have used Pomfret (Avoli) in my recipe but you can use any kind of fish for this recipe according to your taste.

Ingredients:

Avoli                               2 Big

Cut in thin slices              

Onion                             1 Big

Garlic                             2 cloves

Pepper                           1 tsp

Chilli powder                  2 tsp

Curry leaves                   few

Salt                                2 tsp

Oil                                 1 tbsp

Method:

Grind all the ingredients except fish. Marinate fish with the masala and keep for 1 or 2 hours.

Shallow fry in vegetable oil and serve.

My favorite combination is fish fry with pepper rasam and steamed rice.