🍚Neer Dosa!🥥

ingredients
raw rice -1.5cup
coconut milk- 2-3 cups
arrowroot powder-1tab sp
salt
oil

                                              👆watch how dosa comes easily from the pan!                           

👈this kind of strainer is good


method
wash rice and soak for 3 hours..keep it in fridge for 1 hour..take milk from 1 coconut adding required water..mix arrowroot powder in little water and keep aside..make sure not to take cornflour as it resembles arrowroot powder..take a blender add the drain rice,arrowroot mix,coconut milk along with 3 ice cubes and grind till mushy..(ice cubes-to avoid heating of ingredients and also a good tip for easy smooth grinding) take care to add coconut milk little by little, else it cant be ground well..strain these thin batter through a strainer and throw away the leftover stuff..add salt and mix well..add coconut milk till you get the right consistency(watery consistency) like palappam.. heat a nonstick pan, apply oil and put a ladlefull of batter and rotate the pan in such a way that the batter coats nicely all around the surface of pan..need not cover or flip..you can just take the dosa out with your hands easily..it gets such a texture that you can fold it like a handkerchief..you can feel that it melts in your mouth..so give a try,then eat and enjoy..👋👋

⚔️Sword Beans upkari

here are some of my homegrown sword beans!! beans grow in abundance in september-december.. today i prepared sword beans upkari/mezhukkupuratti..my all time favourite..

the process behind this upkari is something different from other upkaris..wash them well and split them into two halves with a knife..then you can see a thin layer of  film with seeds..scrape the film and seeds out..if they are more tender you do not have to care this step..then cut the beans like thin pieces..heat a wok with 2 tabsp oil..when mustard splutters,add crushed chilly powder followed by the sword beans..sprinkle some salt and a few   water,stir well and close with a lid..stir at intervels and let it cook in a low flame until it becomes soft..a yummy sword beans upkari is ready to serve..

⚔beans upkari a good accompaniment to rice with dal or curd rice..

enjoy cooking!👋

Kachil Phodi

ingredients
kachil
chilly powder
asafoetida(hing)
salt
oil to fry

procedure
wash well and remove the hard skin and slice them into 1/2' thickness..again wash well these pieces by rubbing salt so that the slippery texture will go..take a vessel with little water,add required salt,chilly powder and hing stir well and add the slices, bring to boil for sometime or till its half cooked..water should also be evaporated by this time..let it cool and now its ready to deep fry..if you wish to serve it to any guests on next day or so,keep it in freezer as the following way..take a plate and place the pieces flat and spread the cling wrap and place rest of the pieces and once again cover with cling wrap..like that you can keep it for a couple of days in freezer..just take it out 1/2 an hour before for defrosting and then fry and serve the phodis piping hot to get the proper taste ..

(pic1) well washed thick slices

 (pic 2) masala applied slices ready for cooking

(pic3) 1/2 cooked slices ready for frying

(pic 4) fried kachil phodis

 see this is the way how to keep cooked phodis in freezer for another day..👇

(pic5) cooked phodis covered with cling wrap

(pic6) again cling wrap on 2nd top layer also for freezing

(pic7) kept frozen phodis for defrosting

whenever your guests come serve the hot hot kachil phodis with hot tea to surprise them 👍..

definitely they will ❤ it

                                                              enjoy cooking!😍

🗒️Kitchen Tip

hi guys you may think this may be a silly tip..dont laugh at me 😞..believe it does help me a lot..usually i use thermal cooking, for rice..but sometimes when in a hurry, i will have to cook in pressurecooker..the problem is that after cooking the rice,my cooker turns messed up and its so hard to clean 😥..i think you would also be experienced this..here is a simple tip for you..try this and if you like please share with your friends..iam sure it would be helpful for them as well..here goes the tip 😉 ..

adding rice and required water close the lid and take a long tissue paper (fold 2 or three times and make a small slit at the centre) and place above the cooker lid so as the vent tube passes through the slit..thats all what should you do..when the steam comes its absorbed by the tissue paper so the cooker looks always clean 😊 ..

                                     

👆this is the way how i place the tissue paper to avoid messy cooker.. 

see,looks clean as before 

 howz it? are you ready to share this tip with others? 👋

🍌Kela Halwa

A must try recipe for you guys!😊

ingredients
ripe banana-12(approx.2kilos)(it gets super taste if you choose black peeled bananas)..
sugar-2 1/2 cups
ghee-4tabsp
cardamom powder-1/2 tsp(optional) i didnt add..

procedure
1.grind banana slices in a blender and put in a nonstick wok..i underlined because the paste will splutter if you use any other vessels..so it's better to choose only nonstick wok..

2.stir for 5mts then add ghee and after sometime add sugar also..make sure not to get burnt on the bottom..it will leave the sides of the wok gradually..

                                 just a video for your view..👆

                               
                                  consistency of halwa after 1hour

                               
                                  consistency of halwa after 11/2hour

                           
                                 consistency of halwa after 2hours

3.it will take 2 hours to be done..grease the plate and spread halwa with a greased flat bottomed steel glass and cut into pieces when cool..

its very tastier and simple method of just 3 ingredients..though time taking is longer, iam sure that you will like more and more pieces again and again 😋.

Kuvale Ambat

Happy Diwali to all 🎆 😊..
Today iam going to give one of the indispensable konkani side dish prepared for lunch on diwali day of konkanis..

ingredients
ashgourd - 400gm
taro - 200gm
green chillies - 4 or 5 slit at one end
grated coconut - 1 cup heaped
curds - approx 1cup
salt
mustard
jeera
curryleaves
oil

how to prepare
1.wash and peel ashgourd and deseed..
2.cut into 1''cubes..just like cut the taro also..

3.put both the cubes , greenchillies and salt in a cooker and let it cook for 3 whistles or till soft as per  your choice..

4.while you are about it, grind grated coconut with curds in a mixer a little coarsely..

5.open the cooker and add the coconut paste and stir well in a medium flame..do not allow to overboil.. turn out the flame and season with mustard,jeera and curry leaves with oil..

6.tasty kuvale ambat is ready to serve for lunch!All time yummy side dish for foodies!

                                               Happy Diwali again!

bittergourd onion masala

todays recipe of bittergourd onion maala

ingredients

bittergourd-3
onion-3
tamarind-amla size
roasted coconut masala- 3-4 tabsp
oil
mustard
curry leaves

for roasted coconut masala
1.grated coconut-2cup
2.dried red chillies-10
3.coriander seeds-2tsp
4.curry leaves-3 sprigs
Roast the above 4 masala ingredients together in a pan on a low flame until golden brown and crisp.. grind them in a mixie absolutely dry(without water) till oil oozes out..let it cool completely..using 1 or 2 coconuts you can prepare this masala and kept in an airtight container for preparing various purposes..i have already given pics and details here..its shelf life goes for more than 6 months..however, only 3-4 tabsp masala is enough for the dish here..

how to prepare
1.wash and deseed bittergourds..

2.chop the bittergourd lengthwise 1.5" inch long and 1/2'' thick..

3.apply salt and keep for 10 minutes..fry the pieces in oil..

4.cut onion to half and again cut into pieces..

5.soak some tamarind in warm water, squeeze out the extract and keep in a bowl..

6.so as keep aside, enough roasted coconut masala in a bowl from the stocked bottle..

7.heat some oil in a kadai add mustard and curry leaves..then add onions and saute till they turn transaparent(pic 1)..

                                                                      pic 1

8.turn the gas in low flame..add fried pieces of bittergourd and mix well (pic 2)..

                                                                         pic 2

9. then add tamarind extract and required salt as per your taste (pic 3)..

                                                                           pic 3

10.again stir well for few seconds..add roasted coconut masala to this (pic 4)and mix well till the masala gets coated on all pieces (pic 5)..after sometime turn off the flame..

                                                                          pic 4

                                                                          pic 5

bittergourd onion masala is ready to serve with rice,curd rice and even chapathis..this will easily last almost for 1 week without refrigeration if you take good care..

enjoy cooking and eating! 

male papaya upkari

male papaya plant bearing fruits for your view

i like its taste more than the female papaya..but lack of availabiity is a problem because the male papaya flowers rearly bear fruits..in kerala people cut the male papaya when they came to know that it is a male plant..its very sad..i think it is due to some superstitious fear..we konkanis prepare male papaya upkari(mezhukkupuratti)as it is our favourite side dish..you must also try this recipe if you get the papaya..once you had its taste you wont cut the plant any longer..here the recipe goes..

ingredients
papaya-small 4
mustard-1 tsp
dry chilli flakes-3tsp
oil-1tab sp
salt

procedure
wash the papaya well and cut into 4 vertically..dont peel the skin..slice the papaya as in pic..if the seeds are tender and white you can use it along with the slices..if they became black, throw away..heat oil in a wok add mustard,chilly flakes and salt..do not add water..cover with lid and let it cook on low flame..stir well in between..upkari is ready to serve..
                                       
                                                             enjoy cooking!

Broken Wheat Sweet Appam

Last week i had already posted one recipe, 'Broken Wheat Dosa' which my brother-in-law shared with me..as promise,today iam posting his another recipe'Sweet Appam' where the same broken wheat is used as main ingredient..all ingredients are almost the same as Broken Wheat Dosa, but need some jaggery and cardamom (for flavour) as extra..

ingredients
broken wheat-1 cup
grated coconut-1 cup
poha-a fistful
jaggery-75gm or more as per your taste
cadamom powder-1/2tsp
salt-to taste
procedure
soak broken wheat in some water for 15 mts and drain off water..wash poha in little water and squeeze out..put broken wheat and poha with grated coconut in a blender and grind coarsely..add jaggery and grind to mix well..when grinding,add a little water(only if required) to get the right consistency..add enough salt and cardamom powder to the above batter..stir well..heat appachatty,apply oil and scoop the batter into the moulds and cover with a lid for 2mts or till its done..then flip over..sweet appam is ready to have with chips and hot tea..about 12 to 15 appams can be get from the above measurement..

see different steps with pics shown below..

                         
                soaked wheat and other ingredients being grind in a blender..

                      strained jaggery being mixed with the wheat batter..

                                 right consistency for the sweet appam..

                                        roasted appams in moulds..

         now ready to serve our fluffy soft sweet appams..Yummmmmy!

Broken Wheat Dosa

seeing a packet of broken wheat on my dining table,my brother-in-law gave me an idea of making two instant easy recipes 1) dosa and 2)sweet appam..now i am posting the recipes which he made by himself..i use this broken wheat only for upma..so when i heard,made the dosa immediately and wanted to tell you that it was super when i tasted..its very healthy too..want to share the must try recipe with all of you..and if you like,the credit goes to him only:))..

ingredients
broken wheat-1 cup
grated coconut-1 cup
poha-a fistful
green chilly-1 or 2
salt-to taste
sugar-1tsp

procedure
soak broken wheat in some water for 15 mts then drain off the water..wash poha in little water and squeeze out..grind broken wheat and poha with other ingredients..when grinding,add required quantity of water to get the right consistency..see last pic in collage..

heat tava,apply little oil and spread the dosa flour and then just flip over..

a golden color dosa is ready for breakfast..

tasty with dry coconut chutney,sambar and even with sugar especially for kids..about10 dosas can be get from the above measurement..

🥕Carrot Onion stir fry

ingredients
carrot-250gms
shallots-handful
red chillies
mustard
oil
salt
grated coconut -(optional)
procedure
you need only very few ingredients..wash and cut the carrots into 1 inch sticks..cut the shallots too...set aside..heat a kadai put some oil and add mustard,redchilly pieces,then shallots stir well for 5 mts..then add carrots and salt to taste,sprinkle some water and cover it for a few mts till done..take care to stir in between..for garnishing the dish,you can spread the grated coconut on top of the curry..now ready to serve a healthy side dish..it is a good accompaniment with meals or fried rice and especially curd rice..

Kappa/Tapioca curry

ingredients
tapioca-500gms
big onion-2 to 3
green chillies-4
ginger-1'piece
curry leaves
turmeric powder
salt
urad dal
mustard
jeera
oil
procedure
wash and cut tapioca into cubes..pressurecook the tapioca cubes with salt,turmeric powder and enough water for 3 to 4 whistles (depends on tapioca) or till done..

heat a kadai put some oil and add mutard,urad dal,jeera,slit green chillies,chopped ginger,curry leaves and finally onion slices..stir for 5 mts..then add cooked tapioca and mash it a bit add water as required to get the consistency of your choice..now ready to serve with chapathi, poori or even dosas..

Boil Over Safeguard

an indispensable household device for me..so i want to introduce it here..its just a 2 piece gadget- a round silicone disc having some big holes in the center with a small top silicone lid..actually this Gadget is used for boiling pastas in US which helps to prevent spilling overs..

here i use this lid whenever i cook my rice..i dont like to cook rice in pressure cooker..i always boil the red rice in a pot on stove top for less than 15 minutes (for white rice 5 minutes is enough) and then keep inside the Rice Thermal Cooker(non-electric)..after 1 hour its ready to serve..when boiling rice,i cover rice pot with this silicone disc with its cover and it helps me not to boil over outside the vessel..even if i put on high flame,no mess at all and no worry  at all..no need of standing long near the kitchen counter and also saves more time for doing other works..besides,my gas stove and vessel will always be kept clean..yes i mean really it saves clean up in the kitchen..

it can also be used for boiling  milk,vegetable gravies or anything else..i dont think,so far it is available in india..i bought it when i was in US..i recommend this product for all of you and hope it will be come to india soon..

2-piece gadget

                                see how the gadget helps me in my kitchen:)