TOMATO RICE /THAKKALI SADHAM

INGREDIENTS :

• Cook raw rice as per instructions until soft (But not mushy). Allow it to cool down.
• Mix the Rice with 1 Tbspn of Oil/Ghee and leave it aside.
• Finely chop Onions, Tomatoes, Ginger and Garlic.
• Heat Oil in a pan, splutter Mustard Seeds, Bengal Gram Dhal, Dry Red Chillies and Curry Leaves.
• Sprinkle Asafoetida Powder and immediately add finely chopped Onions, Green Chillies, Ginger and Garlic and saute them until onions turn translucent.
• Add Turmeric Powder and Red Chilli Powder and fry them for a while in very low flame.
• Add finely chopped Tomatoes, along with Salt and a pinch of Sugar to it and mix well.
• Saute until tomatoes turn soft and well cooked.
• Add Tamarind paste to the above and mix well.
• Sprinkle few teaspoons of water if necessary and leave this on a low flame until oil separates from the mix.
• Add the cooked Rice and mix it until well combined on a very low flame.
• Serve hot with any veggie dish of your choice, or simply serve it with Potato Chips/Appalam/Vadagam.

NOTES :

• Can prepare this dish with par-boiled rice too. 
• Cook the rice variety you are using, Al dente.
• Adjust the amount of green chillies and dry chillies to your preference.
• Gingelly (sesame) Oil would suit best for the dish. 
• Adding tamarind paste is purely optional, the tomatoes I get here are not as sour as the ones in India, so my MIL suggested me this idea and it does total justice to Tomato Rice.
• Adjust the amount of tomatoes to suit your level of tanginess. 

PARUPPU PODI

INGREDIENTS :

METHOD :

• Dry roast Bengal Gram Dhal and Pottukadalai in a very low flame until it turns slightly golden brown in colour.
• Switch off the flame and keep it aside.
• Dry Roast red chillies until they are fragrant with brown spots. Do not over toast.
• Add Peppercorns, Asafoetida Powder and fry for a while.
• Allow the ingredients to cool down. 
• Toss them into a blender jar along with salt and grind it into fine/coarse powder.
• Can serve this Paruppu Podi mixed with Gingelly Oil/Coconut Oil/Melted ghee.
• Goes well with Rice.
  

NOTES :

• Keep the flame low while dry roasting the ingredients.
• Perfectly roasted ingredients increase the shelf life. 
• Can use Tuvar dhal instead of Pottukadalai.
• Adjust the amount of Red Chillies according to your spice preference.
• Can grind them to a coarse powder, if preferred.
• Store them in sterilized air tight jars in moisture free place.
• Can store them up to one month at room temperature.
• Can store them in the freezer for about two to three months.

NASI GORENG / FRIED RICE

HOW TO MAKE NASI GORENG/FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS :

For Fried Rice :

To Garnish :

For a detailed recipe of how to cook Jasmine / Fragrant Rice, click here...

METHOD :

• Cook the fragrant rice as per instruction and allow it cool.
• Heat 2 Tspn of Oil in a large pan, fry or scramble the Eggs.  
• Remove it from the pan and keep it aside.
• Heat the remaining oil and sauté finely chopped Onions, Garlic and Bird's Eye Chillies until onions turn translucent. 
• Add Light Soy Sauce and Kicap Manis and give a quick stir.
• Add in finely chopped Carrots and Mushrooms to the above and toss it briefly on a low flame or until the vegetable cook. 
• Add cooked Fragrant Rice, along with Salt and a pinch of Sugar. 
• Drizzle Rice Wine Vinegar over the rice.
• Mix it well until every grain is well coated with the sauces.
• Stir in Scrambled Eggs to the rice. 
• Fry the rice in high flame for few minutes or until the rice is dry. 
• Switch off the flame. 
• Garnish Nasi Goreng/Fried Rice with Scallions.
• Serve Nasi Goreng/Fried Rice hot with any dips, sauces or side dishes of your choice.

NOTES :

• Any fragrant long-grained rice variety can be used for the recipe.
• Use a day old cooked rice for best results. Obviously, keep them refrigerated.
• Adjust the number of Chillies to suit your spice level.
• Can add any vegetable of your choice in this Fried Rice.
• Can also add Shrimps, Chicken Pieces, Fish or any other Seafood. 
• Can fry the Eggs and use them as a side dish or scramble them up and mix along with the fried rice. 

CABBAGE THORAN

INGREDIENTS:

For Seasoning:

METHOD:

• Clean, shred and finely chop the Cabbage.
• Finely chop Shallots, Green Chillies, Garlic & Ginger.
• Heat Oil in a pan, splutter Mustard Seeds, Bengal Gram/Urad Dhal and Curry leaves.
• Add finely chopped Shallots, Green Chillies, Garlic, Ginger and saute until shallots turn translucent.
• Add a pinch of Cumin seeds followed with finely chopped Cabbage.
• Add Salt & Sugar and give a quick stir.
• Cover and cook briefly.
• Add in grated coconut and mix well.
• Cook for a while on a low flame.

NOTES:

• Can add a pinch of Turmeric if preferred.
• Some do not add Onions & Garlic while cooking for a Sadhya.
• Adding Garlic & Ginger is truly optional.

VARUTHARACHA SAMBAR

INGREDIENTS :

For Dhal:

To Roast & Grind :

Other Ingredients:

For Tempering:

METHOD :

To Cook Dhal :

• Wash and soak Tuvar Dhal for about 30 minutes(Optional).
• Discard water used for soaking, pour about 11/2 Cups of Water for 1/2 Cup of Tuvar Dhal, add Turmeric Powder.
• Pressure cook the Tuvar Dhal on a high flame a Whistles and for another 1 or 2 Whistles on a low flame.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Mash the cooked Tuvar Dhal slightly with the back of a ladle(optional). 

To Roast & Grind - Sambar Masala :

• Heat Coconut Oil in a pan, and roast the ingredients mentioned under 'To Roast & Grind, on a very low flame.
• First, add the Asafoetida block and fry for a while until it turns crisp & aromatic.
• Follow it with Fenugreek seeds, let it splutter.
• Then add Coriander Seeds and Dry Chillies.  Fry until the raw flavour goes and they turn aromatic.
• Add Curry Leaves and grated Coconut.  Fry this until grated Coconut turns into golden brown in colour on a very low flame.
• Care should be taken not to burn the spices and coconuts, which will totally spoil the flavour.  
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Grind this into a smooth paste, adding little water while grinding.
• Fresh Sambar Masala is ready for use.

For Varutharacha Sambar:

• Soak Tamarind in warm water for few minutes and extract tamarind juice out of it and keep it aside.
• Clean, cut/chop the Vegetables accordingly.
• Chop the Tomatoes and keep it aside.
• Clean, Peel and Wash the Shallots and keep it aside.
• Heat Oil in a pan and Saute the Shallots until it turns translucent.
• Add the Vegetables and the sauteed Shallots, Tomatoes to the cooked Tuvar Dhal along with a dash of Salt and mix well.
• Cook the Vegetables on a low flame.
• Once the Vegetables are cooked add the Tamarind Extract and boil it for few minutes until the raw flavour goes.
• Pour the ground Sambar Masala, add enough water and allow it to boil.
• Lower the flame and boil it until the Raw flavour goes.
• Add Jaggery & adjust the amount of Salt and mix well.
• Leave it on a low flame for few more minutes or until you get the desired consistency.

For Tempering:

• Heat Coconut Oil in a pan, Splutter Mustard seeds, Fenugreek Seeds and Curry Leaves.
• Pour the Sambar into the tempering and boil if for few minutes.
• Switch off the flame and cover the Sambar with a lid.
• This is to retain the flavours and also helps the flavours get well infused into the Sambar.
• Serve Varutharacha Sambar hot with Steamed Rice with a drizzle of Ghee(Clarified Butter) over it.
• Goes well with Idli, Dosa, Uthappam, Upma, Pongal etc.,& etc.,
• Varutharacha Sambar is an unavoidable accompaniment in a Kerala Sadhya(Banquet).

NOTES :

• Can add a teaspoon of Ghee/Oil while Cooking the Dhal.
• This will help avoid splattering of water around the pressure cooker.
• Also, it will increase the surface area, alternatively speed up the cooking time.
• Discarding the water used to soak and adding fresh water to cook the Dhal, will reduce the risk of bloating & flatulence caused by lentils. 
• Cooking time solely depends on the nature of the dhal, heat, amount of water and method of cooking. Adjust accordingly.
• Can also cook the Tuvar Dhal in a regular sauce pan.
• Can also add Coriander Powder and Red Chilly Powder instead of whole seeds.
• If adding spice powders, fry the coconut until golden brown and then follow it with the spice powders.
• My Mother uses an extra amount of Asafoetida in her Sambar which is the secret ingredient which makes it extra special.
• But some do not prefer the overwhelming flavour & aroma of Asafoetida in Sambar.
• Adjust the amount of the above spices, Asafoetida & Tamarind to suit your preference.
• Freshly ground Sambar Masala makes this Varutharacha Sambar extra special with fresh flavours.
• Adding Jaggery is truly Optional, but it helps to balance the overall taste of the Sambar.
• Vegetables like Shallots, Drumstick, Eggplant/Brinjal, Okra/Lady's Finger, Gourds, Pumpkins, Carrot, Radish, Turnips etc., can be used.
• Use any one vegetable or mix up few of them for the recipe.
• If using Shallots and Okra(Lady's Finger), Saute them in some Oil and then add it along with other Vegetables.
• If using Okra, fry them in a bit of oil until the sticky nature of the okra is removed before adding it into the Sambar.
• If using Shallots, saute it until it turns translucent.
• I have used Coconut Oil in the recipe. Can use any other Vegetable Oil/Ghee.
• Varutharacha Sambar goes well with both Tiffin items & Rice. 

KOZHUKATTA - KERALA STYLE

      Kozhukatta/Kozhukattai as it is called in the southern States of India and in Sri Lanka, Modak in Northern Parts, Momo in Eastern India, Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal.  It is a simple & healthy snack prepared with Rice Flour with sweet or savoury fillings. There are varieties of filling prevalent around, but the nature of the fillings change regionally. In Kerala, Kozhukatta is prepared with Coconut and Jaggery, flavoured with Cardamom/ Dry Ginger Powder.   Some prepare the fillings with cooked Bengal Gram Dhal and Jaggery. Some mix both coconut and the dhal for the filling, even few recipes call for sesame seeds in them. 

    As similar to the Sweet versions, the Savoury fillings draw a long list, right from simple seasoning to a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian fillings. Ammini Kozhukattai, Paal Kozhukattai, Arisi Upma Kozhukattai, Pidi Kozhukattai, Pau(Chinese steamed Buns), and a variety of Rice Dumplings prepared with Sticky/Glutinous Rice are commonly found in and around Southeast Asia, the soft, chewy melt in mouth Japanese Mochi, Georgians own version of Khinkali all belong to the same genre.  It can be eaten as a snack or even for breakfast.

      Kozhukatta has a long tradition to hold on with.  It is traditionally prepared as an offering to Lord Ganesha during Vinayaga Chaturthi celebrations throughout India. Modakam/Kozhukattai is one favourite dish of Vinayaga, and we can either see him holding it in his left hand or with a bowl full of Modakams near him.

      In Kerala, it is popularly associated with Oshana/Palm Sunday of Syrian Christians. It is a solemn tradition in Kerala Christian homes to make Kozhukatta on the day or on the eve of Palm Sunday, colloquially called as Kuruthola/ Oshana Perunnal. I always ask my MIL why Kozhukatta for Palm Sunday. She says that Kozhukatta is made commemorating the stones that were thrown on Jesus Christ during his suffering and crucifixion. We usually prepare this on the eve of Palm Sunday, and we have begun to call the day as Kozhukatta Saniyarzhcha(Saturday).  Some say that it is a local belief, as similar to the ones of Easter Eggs.


For more Recipes from GODS OWN COUNTRY - KERALA, click here...


Cuisine - Kerala (India)
Recipe - Snack
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 20-25 Kozhukattas
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 20 - 30 Minute
Cooking Time - 30 - 45 Minutes. 

 

For more KERALA NADAN PALAHARAM RECIPES, Click here

HOW TO MAKE KOZHUKATTA - KERALA STYLE

 

INGREDIENTS:

For Kozhukatta:

Rice Flour - 2 Cups
Coconut Oil - 1 Tablespoon(Optional)

Water - 2 Cups(Approximately)

Salt - To Taste

For Coconut Filling:

Coconut - 11/2 Cup

Jaggery - 3/4 Cup - 1 Cup
Cardamom - 2–3 Pods

Dry Ginger Powder - a Pinch

• Melt the Jaggery with 1/2 Cup of Water.
• Strain it out to remove any impurities.
• Pour melted Jaggery to grated Coconut and mix well.
• Add Cardamom and Dry Ginger Powder to the above.
• Cook this on a very low flame until the Jaggery mix becomes dry.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.

• Boil 2 Cups of Water with Salt & Coconut Oil.
• Pour the boiled water to the Rice Flour, a little at a time, and mix it with a spatula.
• Leave it aside for 10 minutes until it is warm enough to handle.
• Once warm, knead it into a pliable dough.  
• Divide the dough into equal portions and shape it out into medium-sized balls.
• Shape the balls into small cups.
• Fill the cups with 1- 11/2 Teaspoon of Coconut Filling, cover the dough and shape them into balls.
• Smoothen the outer part of the Kozhukatta and leave it aside.
• Follow the suit for the rest of the dough.
• Smear a little bit of coconut oil over the tray/plate used to steam the Kozhukatta, alternatively, you can line up a Banana Leaf over the tray.
• Arrange the prepared Kozhukattas in the tray/plate. Do not overcrowd the Kozhukatta.

• Pour water into the Idli Chembu/Steamer, cover and allow it to boil for about 10–12 minutes on a medium flame.
• Once the steam builds, place the prepared Kozhukatta/Dumplings into the steamer.
• Cover the lid tightly and Steam cook the Kozhukattas in low flame for about 10–15 minutes, or until they are no more sticky.
• Switch off the flame.
• Serve Kozhukatta hot or cold.

NOTES:

• Can use ready-made Appam/Idiyappam Flour for the recipe. I have used Malaysian Brand, Babas Idiyappam Flour for the recipe.
• The amount of water required for kneading depends on the type and quality of the Rice Flour used.
• Adjust accordingly. 
• Use BOILING WATER to knead the flour.  
• Adding Coconut Oil to the water(used for kneading) is purely Optional. But it helps to yield a perfect texture to the Kozhukatta.
• Pour it into the flour and mix it up with a spatula.
• Keep it aside for a few minutes, until it is warm enough to handle.
• I have used locally available Baba's Idiyappam flour, I have used approximately 2 Cups of Boiling Water for 2 Cups of Flour.
• The dough should be soft and not crumbly or dry, if so add some more boiling water and knead it well.
• If the dough turns out to be sticky, then add some more rice flour and knead it again.
  
• Pour only the required amount of melted Jaggery to the grated coconut.
• Allow the mixture to absorb the jaggery and dry up well before switching off the flame. 
• Adjust the amount of jaggery to suit your taste preference.
• Using Dry Ginger Powder is Optional. 
• Can add a Teaspoon of Ghee to the coconut filling if preferred.

For more JAMS/PRESERVES RECIPES, Click here...

Cuisine - Around the World
Recipe Type - Preserve/Jam
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 2- 21/2 Cups
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15 Minutes
Cooking Time - 30- 45 Minutes

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