Vanpayar Manga Ozhichu Curry/ Vanpayar Ozhichu Curry/ Red Cow peas Raw Mango Curry

       Rice is our staple food and we prepare plain rice almost every day for our lunch. We have so many options for dry curries/ side dish like Thoran, Mezhukkupuratti, Erissery, Pulissery. But for pouring curries/ ozhichu curries we always prepare sambar, dhal, rasam, moru curry. But we have more healthier and tastier options too for pouring curries.

       This yummy curry is an easy to prepare curry can be prepared within minutes. I am sure you are really going to love this curry. Slightly tangy and mildly spicy; perfect balance of taste and flavours. Try this curry at home and let me know the results.

INGREDIENTS:

Red Cow peas/ Black eyed beans/ Vanpayar- 1 cup
Raw Mango- 1medium sized (I used Neelam variety)
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar- 1/2 teaspoon

To grind:
Coconut, grated- 3/4 cup
Pearl onion/ small onion-4
Peppercorns/ powder- 1/2 teaspoon

To temper:
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Pearl onion/ small onion, chopped- 1
Dried red chilli, broken-1
Curry leaves- 1 strand

PROCEDURE:

• Soak the cowpeas over night or minimum 5-6 hours in water. Cut the mangoes in to big chunks.
• Pressure cook the cow peas and cut mangoes with salt, turmeric powder and one and half a cup of water till the cow peas get cooked. It should not become mushy, cook around three whistles over medium heat.

• Once the pressure releases from pressure cooker open the lid and turn on the heat, add chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.
• Grind coconut, pearl onion and peppercorns together as a fine paste.
• Once the vanpayar curry starts to boil add this coconut mixture and mix well.

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and chopped pearl onion once the mustard seeds starts to splutter add thedried broken red chilli and curry leaves allow to fry for a second and switch off the gas.

• When the curry starts to bubble add the sugar and tempering; mix well and switch of the gas.

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Chakkakuru Mezhukkupuratti/ Jack Fruit Seeds Stirfry

       Chakkakuru Mezhukkupuratti is an easy to make tasty simple preparation. Tastes similar to potato fry. Goes well with rice paired with curries like sambar, rasam or curd. I have shared Chakkakuru Thoran recipe which is basically a coconut based stir fry. People those who wants spicy or those who doesnot like coconut in cooking can make this tasty stir fry.

       I bought some seeds from my native palce when i visit there and prepared this yummy dish now. I am sure those who doesnot like jack seeds also start love this preparation. Spicy preparation with no coconut in it.

INGREDIENTS:

Jack fruit seeds/ Chakkakuru- 25 nos
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder- 2 teaspoon
Coriander powder- 1 teaspoon

To temper:
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Pearl onion/ Small Onion, chopped- 1
Large onion, chopped-1
Curry leaves- 1 strand
Asafetida- pinch

PROCEDURE:

• Peel the white skin from the Jack seeds and scrape the brown skin as much as possible with a knife and cut them in to two to four pieces.

• Pressure cook them with a cup of water and salt for one whistle. Cook easy to break stage but should not become mushy.

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and small onion and allow to crackle the mustard seeds and allow to brown the small onion. Add the curry leaves and asafetida powder.
• Then add the chopped large onion and saute the onion for thirty seconds.
• Add the chopped garlic cook for further thirty seconds.

• Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder and saute for five seconds and add the cooked jack fruit seeds.
• Mix well together and cook for further one minute. If the masala is too dry sprinkle a tablespoon if water and mix well.

• Check for salt and add if required.
• Note: You can add little garam masala powder if you wish at the end mix well before turn off the heat.
• You can cook the seeds in normal pan with salt instead of pressure cook them.

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Kadachakka Thoran/ Bread Fruit Stir Fry/ Cheema Chakka Thoran

       Bread Fruit is an tropical fruit harvested and used for cooking before ripening. This fruit looks similar to Jack Fruit because it belongs to the same family. But tastes entirely different. When you cook this bread fruit it becomes so soft similar potato. Yummy side dish prepared without much effort.

       Sure it is different veggie from the regular veggies like carrot, beans, potato..etc.
I have already shared Kadachakka Varutharacha Curry which tastes similar to non veg preparations. This is another easy to make preparation. Try this at home and send the feedback.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Cuisine: Kerala

INGREDIENTS:

Bread Fruit/ Kada Chakka, finely chopped-1 medium sized
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Green chilli, cut- 2
Salt- to taste
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon

To Temper:
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dhal/ Ulunnu- 1 teaspoon
Dried red chili, broken-1
Curry leaves- 1 stand

To Grind:
Coconut- 1/2 cup
Garlic- 1 clove
Pearl Onion/ Small Onion-2
Jeera/ cumin seeds- 1/4 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Grind the coconut, garlic, pearl onion and jeera as a coarse paste/ powder without adding any water.
• Peel the bread fruit and remove the midrib and chop them in to small pieces and keep inside the water.

• In a pan add the chopped bread fruit, cut green chilllies, turmeric, salt and a cup of water. Cover with a lid and cook till it becomes soft to touch. Check the availability of water inside the pan in between if it is getting dry add some more water and cook till soft.

• Heat oil in a shallow pan add the mustard seeds and urad dhal. when mustard seeds starts to crackle and the urad dhal strts to become golden colour add the broken dried red chilli and curry leaves and fry for few seconds.

• Now add the cooked bread fruit, coconut mixture and red chilli powder and mix well and cook for a minute till the raw smell of garlic leaves and the masala coats well.
• Check for salt and add if required.

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Fried Whole Wheat Banana Cake/ Tea Stall Sweet Bonda/ Kerala Bonda/ Undanpori/ Gothambu Unniyappam

       This recipe is actually prepared in Maida in some tea shops. We used to prepare this bonda at home in whole wheat flour. By preparing this bonda in whole wheat flour adds taste and nutrition to this snack.

      Perfect evening snack even liked by kids. So soft and tasty like a banana sponge cake. So flavourful bonda because of the banana and the addion of ghee. Easy to prepare snack item. This snack can be stored for three to five days in airtight containers. Evening with a hot cup of chai no words to explain the taste. Recipe adopted from here.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes (Fermentation time 1.5 hours)
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: Kerala
Serves: 15-18 bondas

INGREDIENTS:

Whole Wheat Flour/ Atta- 1 1/2 cups
Jaggery, grated- 3/4 cup
Water- 1/2 cup
Salt- pinch
Small Banana/Palayam Kodan Pazham (A small banana variety found in Kerala)- 2 big
Baking Soda/ Soda podi- 1/4 teaspoon
Cardamom powder- 3-4 pods
Coconut, chopped- 1/4 cup (optional)
Ghee- 1 teaspoons
Oil, for frying- 1 cup

PROCEDURE:

• In a pan add the grated jaggery and water and allow to boil once to dissolve the jaggery in water to remove the dirts. No need to check consistency.
• In a bowl mash the banana and add the jaggery water by straining through a sieve to collect dirts.

• Now add the salt, baking soda and cardamom powder and mix well.
• Add the wheat flour a tablespoon at a time and mix well with hands without any lumps. The batter should not be thick or thin. 
• Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a pan and roast the coconut till light brown colour.(optional)
• Add the grated coconut with ghee and mix well.You can able to hold the batter and roughly form small balls. Add water or wheat flour if necessary to get the proper consistency.

• Allow to sit this batter for about 1.5-2 hours.
• Heat oil in a pan till smoking hot and reduce the flame to low and start fry the bondas.
• Take a lemon sized batter by dipping hand inside a bowl of water to prevent sticking and drop the batter inside the oil and fry on low flame till the surface becomes deep brown colour.

• Drain the bondas from oil and keep on top of kitchen towel to takeout excess oil.

• Note: These Bondas can be prepared in Maida/ All purpose Flour as well.
• If you do not get Palayamkodan banana you can replace the banana with any small banana variety you get.
• You can avoid adding banana and increase the Soda powder to half a teaspoon.
• Cooking in low flame is essential to cook the inside of the bondas. If you fry them in high flame outside will cook fast and raw batter stays inside.
• Add turmeric powder or yellow colour if you are preparing bonda using maida.

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Rava Payasam/ Semolina Payasam/ Sooji Payasam

       Payasams is a South Indian dessert prepared generally with the base of cows milk or coconut milk. The sweetener used in this dessert generally sugar or jaggery. There are so many varieties of payasams prepared using these items as a base. Main ingredient varies from Dhal, Rice, Wheat,Vermicelli, Pasta, Ada ..etc and some payasms are prepared using vegetables as main ingredient Carrot, Beetroot..etc.

       In this list today i am going to present you an easy to make payasam prepared using Rava/ Semolina. This payasam is so yummy and can be prepared without much effort. We can say it can be prepared instantly when guests give surprise visits. Perfect payasam to be served after dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

Milk(Full fat/ Low fat)- 3 cups(3/4 litre) I used low fat

Water-1 cup (1/4 litre)
Sugar- 1/2 cup

Semolina/ Rava- 4 tablespoons

Cardamom, seeds crushed- 4 pods

Ghee- 1 tablespoon

Cashewnuts, broken- 8

Raisins/ Kishmish- 8

PROCEDURE:

• Heat ghee in a pan and add the cashew nuts when the colour starts to become light golden colour add the raisins together and roast them till it becomes puffy. Remove the cashew nuts and raisins from ghee and keep aside.

• In the same ghee add the rava and roast till it becomes light golden colour and get the nice roasted aroma and gives a grainy texture.
• In a deep pan boil the milk with water and sugar. When it boils and arises second time, add the roasted semolina a tablespoon at a time and mix without any lumps.

• Likewise add the whole semolina a tablespoon at a time and mix well.
• When the rava cooks and becomes transparent grains; add the cardamom powder and allow to boil once. Add the roasted cashews and raisins and switch off the gas.
• Yummy Payasam is ready to serve!!! 

• Notes: This payasam tends to thicken once it cools down. Add a cup of hot water and mix well if it becomes too thick.
• You can add saffron if you like different colour and flavour to payasam.

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Cherry Banana Oats Smoothie/ Cherry Smoothie

        Cherry Banana Oats smoothie is a filling healthy breakfast drink. Can be prepared without much effort. So colourful and delicious drink. Banana adds sweetness to this drink. So you can prepare this drink without sugar also.

       Kids love this drink because it has a vibrant pink colour. I have prepared this smoothie using low fat yogurt. You can prepare with full fat if you want to. Healthy as well as easily digestible. Better way to start a day with light breakfast and keep active through out the day. Try this light and tasty breakfast drink and stay Healthy!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Cherries, pitted/ cut- 1/2 cup
Banana-1 big
Rolled oats/ Instant oats/ Quick cooking oats- 2 tablespoons
Thick yogurt/ curd- 1/2 cup (I used low fat)
Sugar- 1 teaspoon(optional)

PROCEDURE:

• Grind the oats in a blender as a fine powder.
• Keep the cherries inside the blender jar and blitz for a two to three times to grind coarsely to avoid big pieces.

• With this add the chopped banana pieces, powdered oats, chill yogurt and sugar; blend well till frothy and mixed well.

• Serve chilled.
• Notes: Using sugar in this recipe is optional.
• You can use low fat/ full fat yogurt for this recipe.

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Mangai Thokku/ Mango Thokku Pickle/ Sweet and Tangy Mango Thokku/ Raw Mango Grated Pickle

       Mango thokku is an easy to make pickle mildly sweet, tangy and spicy. No artificial colours or preservatives added in this pickle. So simple to make in minutes and can be stored for months on refrigeration. Perfect with curd rice, sambar rice and chapathis.

      It is a mouth watering pickle can be made when the mangoes are abundant. Cooking mangoes itself makes the raw mango slightly sweet so adding jaggery in this recipe is purely optional. You can make it spicy by avoiding jaggery and adding ginger. Ginger also makes the pickle more spicy.

INGREDIENTS:

Raw Mango, grated-3
Salt- to taste
Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 teaspoon

Oil- 2 tablespoon
Ginger, grated- 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon

Chilli powder- 4 teaspoons
Jaggery- 1/2 teaspoon (optional; I have not added)

To temper:

Oil- 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves- 1 strand

Asafetida- 1 big pinch

PROCEDURE:

• Roast fenugreek seeds till golden brown colour and make them as fine powder.

• Peel the mangoes and wash them and wipe them. Grate the mangoes using a carrot grater.

• Heat oil in a pan and add the grated ginger and fry for fifteen seconds. Then add the grated Mango and salt; cook in that oil for about 8-10 minutes in oil. 

• Grated mango becomes translucent and binds together and forms a lump and oil starts to separate.
• At this stage add turmeric, chilli powder, jaggery and powdered fenugreek seed powder; cook for thirty seconds by mixing well together uniformly.

• Heat oil in a pan to temper and add mustard seeds; when it splutters add the curry leaves and switch off the gas. Add the Asafetida in hot oil and mix well.

• add the tempering with mango mixture and mix well.
• Allow to cool and transfer to a clean bottle. Refrigerate and use it within a month.
• Notes: Adding grated ginger in this recipe is purely optional. Ginger makes the pickle more spicy so add the chilli powder accordingly.

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