Stuffed Okra/Ladysfinger(വെണ്ടക്കായ )

I used to make this dish all the time. But given the fact that it is difficult to get good fresh okra these days, I pounced on the opportunity when I got some fresh okra from my own vegetable garden.

Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 10min + 30 min
Cooking time: 30 min
Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:


Young tender okra: 8 big
Chilli powder: 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/8 tsp
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp, heaped
Coriander powder: 2 tsp, heaped
Cuminpowder: 1/2 tsp, heaped
Oil: 1 1/2 tbsp
Onion: 1/2 of a medium, finely chopped
Tomato: 1/4 of a medium, finely chopped
Water: 1 cup
Salt to taste

Carefully make a slit on each okra in the middle, taking care not to cut both the tips apart (you will need this to retain the shape while cooking).

Make a spice mix using all the dry spices (chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt). Mix well until everything is uniformly distributed. Now fill as much as the spice mix into each slit of the okra as possible, without  breaking it apart, and keep aside for at least 30 min (the longer it stays, the better).
Heat the oil in a skillet and put the okra, cut side down. Allow to cook on a medium-low flame until the green colour starts to fade or gets half-cooked, about 4-5 min. Keep aside. To the same oil, add the balance in the spice mix and saute until the raw taste is gone. Add the chopped onion and saute well until light brown, and add the chopped tomato. Saute until the tomato has cooked and the entire mixture has become a thick paste. Add the water and allow to boil. Now slide the half-cooked okra into this, cover and cook on a low flame, until the okra has cooked through (about 10- 15 min). Serve hot with rice or chapathi.

Sharkkara payasam (നെയ്യ് പായസം/ ശര്‍ക്കര പായസം )

A traditional payasam, usually prepared in the temples. But trust me, it is as easy as any payasam can get. I used to call it black payasam , when I was a kid.

The light or dark colour of the payasam depends on the colour of the jaggery used. I get light colour jaggery here, and so the payasam looks pale, but that does not mean it is any less sweet. 

Also, you can add bananas, plantains, fried coconut pieces etc., along with the fried nuts in the final stage.

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 15 min

Cooking time: 15- 20 min

Makes: 7-8 servings

Ingredients:

Raw rice: 1 cup, soaked in water for 15 min

Jaggery: 3/4- 1 cup, depending on sweetness desired

Ghee: 1 tbsp+ 1 tsp

Raisins: 1 tbsp

Raw cashewnuts: 1 tbsp

Water

Powdered cardamom: 1/2 tsp (optional)

Rockcandy crystals/ sakar(കല്‍ക്കണ്ടം): 1 tbsp

Cook the soaked rice with enough water in a saucepan. After the rice is cooked, add the jaggery. Allow it to melt completely. Allow excess water, if any, to evaporate. Add 1 tbsp ghee and mix well. In another skillet, saute the cashews until golden brown and the raisins until roasted and plump. Add these to the payasam. Serve warm or cold.

Kalakand balls

This is a quicker version of the traditional dessert. I decided to make it into balls, but you can make it in the traditional (square) shape, like what the recipe from Tarla Dalal says.

Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 15-20 min
Makes: 8 kalakand balls

Ingredients:


Paneer: 3/4 cups, grated
Milk powder: 8 tbsp
Heavy cream: 1/2 cup
Sugar: 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp

Combine all the ingredients on a non-stick pan. Cook on a medium flame, stirring continuously for about 15 min, until the mixture is thick and leaves the sides of the pan. Spread onto a 7" diameter pie dish. Cool and cut into squares or make balls.

Besan(chickpea flour) laddoo

This is a traditional sweet, usually prepared during festivals in North India.

The original recipe from Tarla Dalal makes 10 laddoos, but since I made the kid-size laddoos, I got 12-13 from the same quantity. This is made in the microwave, and is also a quicker and lighter version of the traditional one.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 4 min + 30 min for cooling
Makes: 12 medium-sized laddoos

Ingredients:


Besan ( chickpea flour): 1 cup, sifted
Ghee: 1/3  cup
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Powdered sugar: 3/4 cup

In a microwave safe bowl, mix the ghee and the flour well. Microwave on high for 3 min, stirring every 30 sec. Remove the mixture and allow to cool completely.

Add the powdered sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. Shape into balls of your preferred size.

Corn & pepper Salad

We once had a salad from a chat place in California. It was a really simple, yet tasty one. Even my kids (who are usually not very fond of salads) loved it. So, I decided to re-create it at home.

When I made this for some friends of my husband's from work though, I skipped the chat masala and lime juice.

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 15 min

Cooking time: Nil

Makes: 8- 10 servings

Ingredients:

Cooked corn: 2 cups

Bell pepper: 1 big, diced to the same size as corn kernels

Salt, pepper: to taste

Chat masala: 1 tsp

Lime juice: 3/4 tsp

Mix everything well, and serve warm or cold.

Jaipuri Chicken

I saw this recipe on the TV and given that I like cumin, I thought I should try it myself. It really came out well.

Difficulty level: Medium
Preparation time: 10 min + 1 hr. to marinate
Cooking time: 50 min
Makes: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:


Chicken: 500 gms, cut into bite-size pieces
Onion: 1 medium, cut into small pieces
Garlic: 1" cube, cut into big chunks
Garlic: 6 flakes
Cumin: 1 tsp
Caraway seeds: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/8 tsp
Chilli powder: 3/4 tsp
Chicken/ meat masala: 4 tsp
Lime juice: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Oil: 2 tbsp

Grind all the ingredients except for the chicken and oil, to a fine paste. Add half of this paste to the chicken. Mix well and keep aside for 1 hr (minimum).

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet. Add the rest of the ground paste and saute until the oil separates. Add the marinated chicken and mix well. Add more salt if needed, cover and cook, without adding any water. Remove the cover and allow excess water to evaporate, until it reduces to desired consistency (if you prefer the dish with gravy). If you prefer it completely dry, allow all the water to evaporate. Cook on a very low flame, adding the rest of the oil, until gets dry and crispy. Goes well with rice or chapathi.

Lentil dip (Urad dal Chammadhi)

This is also one of those dishes my mother-in-law makes for me all the time.

Difficulty level: Easy

Preparation time: 15 min

Ingredients

Urad dal: 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies: 3 or 4

Small onions: 5-6

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Salt: to taste

Oil: 1 tsp

Saute all the ingredients expect salt, in oil, until the dal is light brown. Grind to a fine paste after it is completely cool. Add salt and mix well.

You can serve it with any other dosa or idli.

Uthappam with Varutharacha Ulli chammadhi

Uthappam is a favourite dish of mine (In spite of an unfortunate experience at a Dallas restaurant that I will not elaborate on further), but I don't make it that often at home as my husband is not very much into it. But every so often, I make some for myself.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 10 min
Makes: 4 uthappams


Ingredients:


Dosa batter: to make 4 dosas
Onion: 1 medium, cut into small pieces
Green chillies: 3, cut into thin round pieces
Ghee: 1-2 tsp
Oil: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Curry leaves: leaves of 1 sprig

Heat oil in a skillet and saute the onions until they turn translucent. Mix in the green chillies, saute for 1 min and keep aside.

Spread the dosa batter, as you would make a normal thick one. After 1 min, add 2 tsp from the above prepared mixture in the middle. Press down firmly and flip so as to cook the other side.  Continue cooking for 2 more minutes and remove from fire. Serve hot with Onion/ Ulli chammandhi, which is posted separately.

Onion Dip ( Varutharacha Ulli chammandhi)

This is one of the easiest, yet the tastiest of chammadhis. This goes with any dosa or iddli.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 10min
Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:


Onion: 1 big, thinly sliced
Whole red chillies: 6-7
Coconut oil: 2 tsp
Salt: to taste

Heat the oil and saute the onion and red chillies until the onion turns light brown. Grind to a fine paste after it is completely cool. Add salt and the remaining coconut oil. Mix well and dig in.

Easy Shrimp fry (ചെമ്മീന്‍ വറുത്തത് )

Here is a very simple recipe for fried shrimp. In spite of its simplicity, it is still a very tasty dish as evidenced by how both my kids ate the shrimp.

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 5 min + 1 hr. for marination
Cooking time: 15 min
Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:


Shrimp: 17, cleaned and de-veined
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
Fish masala: 1 tsp
Lime juice: 1/2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1/2 tsp+ 2 tbsp for frying

Marinate the shrimp in ginger-garlic paste, fish masala, salt, lime juice and 1/2 tsp oil. Keep aside for 1 hr. Heat the 2 tbsp oil and shallow fry the shrimp until they curl up and/or turn pink on you. Goes well with rice or as an appetizer. 

Pancake Uppumav

My younger son loves to break apart the pancakes I make for him. So my husband suggested I do that for him, making it easy for him to eat. Apparently, both my kids liked the new pancake uppumav ("Salt Mango Tree" for fans of classic malayalam movies)

Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 3 min
Cooking time: 5 min
Makes: 2 toddler servings

Ingredients:


Pancake mix: 1/2 cup
Ghee/ butter: 2 tbsp
Water: as needed

Make the pancake batter ready as per package instructions. Heat 2 tbsp ghee and pour the batter in. Whisk it, on a medium flame, like you would make scrambled eggs. Serve hot.

Green Pulao

My kids love pulaos.  They are very colourful and you can make them in a variety of ways to keep it fresh and exciting. It is also a good way for moms to get the kids to eat vegetables they normally don't (Please don't tell my kids that). So this is for the moms of those kids who are fussy about eating broccoli. I pureed them, so as to hide them and also to get a greenish tint to the rice. You can use more broccoli, if you have, but used only half a cup as I had only that much in hand. The more you add, the more deep and pretty the colour gets. Also you can use spinach instead of broccoli.


Difficulty level: Easy
Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 15 min
Makes: 3-4 toddler servings

Ingredients:


Basmati rice: 1 cup, soaked in salt water for 10 min
Broccoli: 1/2 cup, cooked and pureed
Corn kernels: 1/2cup, cooked
Ghee/ butter: 3 tbsp
Hot water:1 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Heat 2 tbsp ghee and add the rice. Saute until it turns translucent. Add the hot water and salt. Mix well, cover and cook until the rice is cooked through. Remove the lid, add the cooked corn and pureed broccoli. Mix well and allow excess water to evaporate. Add the last tablespoon ghee, mixing well to get the rice fluffy. Serve warm.