Vermicelli Payasam/ Semiya Payasam

Vermicelli or Semiya Payasam is a popular South Indian Dessert. Easy to prepare tasty payasam can be made in minutes without much effort. Perfect for all South Indian occasions like festivals, weddings..etc. Kids to love this yummy dessert.

Easy to make payasm prepared with the ingredients generally available in our pantry. It is a delicious payasam can be prepared and served for any unexpected guest arrival in no time. You can prepare this payasam more tasty with the addition of condensed milk if you like (reduce the sugar accordingly) and if you like you can add saffron strands for colour.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Cuisine: South Indian
Serves: 4-5

INGREDIENTS:

Vermicelli- 1/2 cup
Milk- 2 cups
Coconut milk- 1 cup (can be replaced with cows milk)
water- 1 cup
Sugar- 1/2 cup
Cardamom, crushed- 3 pods
Ghee-2 teaspoons
Cashew nuts- 10
Raisins-10

PROCEDURE:

• In a pan dry roast the vermicelli till golden colour.
• In a deep pan add the roasted vermicelli, a cup of fresh or boiled milk along with a cup of water.

• Bring it to boil, when the vermicelli almost cooked add the sugar and mix well till dissolved.
• Add the remaining one cup of cows milk (preferably boiled) and a cup of coconut milk and mix well.

• Immediately add the crushed cardamom pods and mix well. Bring it to boil and switch off the gas.
• Do not cook long time after adding last lot of milk.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add the cashewnuts and roast till it starts to get golden colour; immediately add the raisins with that and allow to fry them till it becomes puffy.

• Transfer the fried cashews and raisins together with ghee on top of payasam and mix well.

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Ulli Theeyal/ Cheru Ulli Theeyal/ Kunjulli Theeyal

       Ulli theeyal is a Popular nadan preparation from Kerala cuisine. The mild sweetness of the onions when cooked with the tamarind and with the roasted coconut masala, tastes irresistible. I need nothing more than this to finish my lunch happily.

       This dish is a pouring curry (ozhichu curry) served with rice. From my childhood I love this dish to the core. Whenever i make this dish i feel nostalgic about the memories of mom makes this for lunch. Simple yet delicious curry to serve with steamed rice.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: Kerala
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Pearl Onion/ Kochu ulli, chopped- 15 nos (2 cups)
Ginger, chopped- 1/4 inch (optional)
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Tamarind- small gooseberry size

To roast and grind:
Coconut, grated-1 cup
pearl onion, finely chopped-5
Curry leaves- 1 srtand
Jeera/ cumin seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1½ teaspoons
Coriander powder- 1½ teaspoons

To temper:
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/4 teaspoons
Dried red Chilli, broken- 2
Curry leaves- 1 strand

PROCEDURE:

• In a pan roast the coconut, onion, curry leaves, jeera  till you get the dark golden colour. Add little oil if needed. 

• Once it browns add the turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well with coconut and allow to leave the raw masala smell for about fifteen seconds and turn off the gas and allow to cool.
• Grind this coconut mixture inside a blender. First powder the coconut then add water and grind as a paste.

• Heat oil in a pan and mustard seeds once it starts to splutter add the broken dried red chilli and curry leaves and fry for fifteen seconds.
• Now add the chopped pearl onion and ginger; saute in the oil till the cut edges starts to get golden colour. Sprinkle some salt and fry for fifteen seconds.

• Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice and add with this. Allow to cook for a minute or two till the raw taste of tamarind leaves.

• Now add the ground coconut paste and mix well. Add a cup of water to dilute the curry.
• Allow the curry to slightly thicken and get light brown colour.

• Notes: Theeyal can be prepared with the addition of onions and tomatoes sauteed  at the beginning.
• Pepper powder, fenugreek powder can be added if you wish.

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Vendakka Mezhukkupuratti/ Ladies Finger Mezhukkupuratti

Vendakka Mezhukkupuratti is an easy to make stir fry. It is a healthy stir fry as this recipes has no coconut in it. Perfect dish to try  when you are running out of time. Or you need a dry dish to carry when you travel.

So simple to make but tasty dish. Try this dish at your home, you start to love this dish. The high light is in this recipe the bhendi is no more slimy. You can eat this stirfry as such. I love this preparation equally to vendakka thoran. Check out my othter Vendakka preparations like Vendakka Avial, Vendakka Pachadi/ Kichadi, Vendakka Theeyal.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Cuisine: Kerala
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Vendakka/ Ladies Finger, chopped- 2 cups
Onion/ Pearl onion, chopped- 10 nos(or) Large Onion-1
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Curry leaves- 2 strands
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Pepper powder- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon
Salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

• Chop the ladies finger into half inch pieces. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onion and curry leaves. Cook till the onions starts to become translucent for about a minute or two.

• Add the chopped Bhendi and salt; saute in that oil till the cut edges starts to brown and the Bhendi starts to shrink.
• Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and pepper powder and mix well. If you wish you can add some coriander powder too.

• Mix well and allow to coat the masala well in bhendi.
• Cook for about two minutes and turn off the gas before the bhendi's green colour turns to dull colour.

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Beetroot Pachadi

       Beet root Pachadi is a colourful pachadi. As the dark red colour from the beetroots cooked with coconut and yogurt yields a bright pink colour. The taste as well as colour liked even by kids. It is an inevitable dish in Onam Sadya. I used  to prepare this healthy colourful pachadi weekly once.

      This is one of the easy to make pachadis served in Onam Sadya. This dish looks bright when served among all dishes and make the whole platter a visual treat too. Healthy and tasty dish with the addition of yogurt it cools our body.  Perfect dish to make at the summer season too.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Cuisine: Kerala
Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

Beetroot, grated-2
Salt- to taste

To grind:
Coconut- 1/4 cup
Green chillies- 2
Mustard seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger -1/2 inch

To temper:
Oil-3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves- 2 strands

PROCEDURE:

• Grind the coconut with green chillies, mustard seeds and ginger as a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it splutters add the curry leaves and set aside.

• In a pan add the grated beet root, salt and quarter cup of water. Close with a lid and cook for three to five minutes till the beet root cooks till soft.

• Add this paste into the cooked beetroots and mix well. Allow this mixture to heat for a minute and switch off the gas. Do not cook too long as mustard seeds turns the pachadi slightly bitter.
• Add the beaten curd and mix well.

• Add the tempering on top of the beetroot pachadi and mix well. Check for salt and add if needed. 

Note: Mustard seeds can be replaced with Jeera if you do not like the taste of mustard seeds ground along with coconut.

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Ethapazham Pachadi/ Nendra Pazham Pachadi

      Ethapazham is a favourite fruit among all fruits for every Malayali. So using Ethakka or pazham even peel so many recipes are there. This pachadi too is a yummy pachadi with the perfect balance of taste and flavours. The mild sweetness from the banana is balanced with the usage of green chillies in this recipe.

     You wont feel that you are eating ripe banana dish while consuming this dish. So tasty bananas with the coconut and  yogurt sauce. Other than Malayalis too love this dish I am sure. So please try this dish and let me know.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Cuisine: Kerala
Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

Nendran Banana, ripen- 1
Green chillies-2
Salt- to taste
Curd/ yogurt,beaten- 1 cup

To grind:
Coconut- 1/4 cup
Green chillies-2
Mustard seeds- 1/4 teaspoon

To temper:
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
Dried red chiili- 2
Curry leaves- 2 strand

PROCEDURE:

• Slit the banana from top to deep down and chop them in to small pieces.
• In a pan add the chopped banana pieces, 2 slit green chillies (add red chilli powder if you wish to add), salt and half a cup of water and cook till soft.

• Slightly mash the bananas with the back side of a ladle or spoon.
• Grind coconut, green chillies and mustard seeds as a fine paste.

• Add this ground paste on the banana mixture and cook just for a minute and switch off the gas. Do not cook more the whole lot turns bitter.
• Immediately pour the beaten curd and mix well.

• Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds; then add the dried red chillies and curry leaves fry in that oil for fifteen seconds and pour on top of the pachadi.

• Notes: You can add red chilli powder half a teaspoon while cooking the bananas to get little different taste and colour.

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Instant Rasam/ Tomato Tamarind Rasam

       Rasam is a digestive generally served in all South Indian Thalis. There are many variations in rasams available. The variety varies like Dhal rasam, Lemon rasam, Mint rasam, Mango rasam. This version is prepared in tamarind base with tomatoes with freshly ground masala.

      Rasam is always a comforting item served in all South Indian heavy Thalis for digestion. Rasam is not only used for digestion but also it soothes the throat. Making this rasam in cold season for lunch would be perfect. Pepper in this rasam soothes throat in case of cold or soar throat.This version is an instant easy to make version can be made without much effort.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Cuisine: South Indian
Serves- 8

INGREDIENTS:

Oil- 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds/ methi- 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli, broken-1
Curry leaves- 2 strand
Asafetida- 1/4 teaspoon

Tamarind- gooseberry size
Tomatoes-2 big
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder- 1/4 teaspoon(optional)
salt- to taste
Coriander leaves- handful

To grind:
Garlic-4-5 big cloves
Pepper- 1/2 teaspoon
Jeera/ cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander seeds- 1/2 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Grind garlic, pepper, jeera and coriander seeds together as a coarse powder in a mixer jar with out adding any water. 
• In a big bowl keep the tomatoes and roughly crush them using your hands. You can do this using a blender.

• Soak the tamarind in quarter cup of water and extract the juices. Add the tamarin extract with the pureed tomatoes.

• Add the ground powder and mix well. Dilute this with 4 cups of water and add turmeric, chilli powder and salt.

• Heat oil in a pan add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Once it splutters add the broken red chilli and curry leaves.

• Add Asafetida in the hot oil and immediately add the tomato tamarind masala water.
• Reduce the flame to low and cook the rasam.

• Once the rasam starts to become frothy on top add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well. Check for salt and add if needed.

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Nurukku Upperi/ Etakka Nurukku Upperi/ Kaya Nurukku Upperi

       Nurukku upperi is a quartered banana chips. To make this chips there is no need for slicer or grater. Simply u have to slit the bananas and chop them using a knife and fry them. So easy to make in minutes. It is also an inevitable fried item served in Onam Sadya.

       This can be eaten with tea as a snack. It is a very popular snack item through out the world and people like this without any age difference. You can use coconut oil to fry them if you like the flavour. Or else you can use any refined oil to make this crunchy chips.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: Kerala
Category: Snacks

INGREDIENTS:

Nendran Banana/ Ethakka, well matured- 3 medium sized (500 gms)
Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Oil, to fry- 2 cups

PROCEDURE:

• Select matured green nendran banana and peel the skin and soak the banana for 5 minutes in turmeric water to avoid browning.

• Quarter the banana by cutting each bananas from top to bottom lengthwise by giving criss criss cut deep down.
• Then chop the bananas as thin pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan and allow to reach smoking hot.

• Now keep the flame to low and start frying the chips.
• When it cooks well it become light and start to float in the oil and you can able to hear the crispiness of the chips.
• Drain the chips from oil and once it reach room temperature store in airtight container.

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