STIR FRIED YARD LONG BEANS/ PAYAR MEZHUKKUPURATTI

This is a kottayam style stir fry recipe so called 'mezhukkupurati".  We can make mezhukupuraties with varieties of vegetables I think, almost all vegetables that are available in Kerala.  It doesn't matter which vegetable is used, its a really delicious side dish for rice.  Among them payar mezhukkupurati is the most popular one.  These mezhukupuraties are made regularly in almost all malayalees houses.  It is a very common preparation, but the taste varies in different areas; that is the difference.

Ingredients

Yard long beans - 2 cups

(cut in to 1-1and 1/2 inch pieces) 

Onion - 1 small size

Green chilly - 1 no

Crushed dried chili - 2 nos

Curry leaves - 1 stalk

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Coconut pieces - 3 or 4 tbsp

Method

Wash and cut yard long beans in to 1 inch pieces.  Slice onion.  Slit green chilly and cut into halves.  Heat a kadai and add oil.  saute onion and green chilly till its colour changes and add crushed red chili, chopped coconut pieces and curry leaves.  Stir well and add turmeric and saute well again.  Then add beans and salt,  stir well and cook covered for 10 to 15 minutes in a slow fire.  Every now and then open the lid and stir it well.  When it is cooked well leave it open for some time to become dry and roasted.

FISH (MACKEREL) PEPPER FRY

Ingredients

Medium sized mackerel - 5 nos

Pepper powder - 2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

salt - to taste

corn flour - 2 tsp

Oil - to fry.

How to prepare

First make a marinade with all the powder ingredients and lemon juice.   Apply it to the cleaned and washed mackerels.  Keep aside this marinated fishes for half an hour.   

Heat a pan and pour oil.  Fry the marinated fishes in the oil.  First keep the pan covered for few minutes in a medium flame and turn the mackerels and then fry open till it becomes light brown.   

COOL CUCUMBER FIZZ

Cool cucumber fizz is a 2-in-one mocktail; a beverage and a snack that can be used both as a juice, that can quench our thirst in this hooooooooooot summer, and a snack, that can satisfy our hunger tooooo.

Ingredients

Salad cucumber - quarter of  a medium sized one

Fresh mint leaves - leaves of 5 stalks

Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Sugar - 4 or 5 tbsp

Chilled soda - 1/2 - 3/4 cup

Water - 1/4 cup

Method

Chop mint leaves.  In a small pan add sugar, mint leaves and water.  Boil and make a fine syrup.  Cover the pan and keep aside to cool.  Meanwhile peel the cucumber and grate it.  When the sugar mint syrup is cooled strain it and pour in to a juice tumbler.  Add the grated cucumber and two fresh mint leaves chopped in to the tumbler.  Finally add the required amount of soda.  The fizz is ready.  Have it at once.

TOMATO VEG RICE

This is a variety of rice dish that can be prepared very easily.  If we use microwave it becomes more easy.  The main ingredient is tomato as its name suggests.  Here I'm sharing how to prepare this recipe using microwave oven.

Ingredients

Tomato medium sized - 2 nos

Onion big - 1 no

Basmati rice - 2 cups

Ginger garlic paste - one and half tbsp

Carrot (cut in to small dices)- half cup

Beans chopped - quarter cup

Green Chilli crushed - 3 nos

Cinnamon - 3 or 4 small pieces

Cloves - 6 nos

Cardamom -  4 nos

Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp

Mint leaves - 1 tbsp

Oil/ghee - 2- 3 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Water - 4 cups

Preparation

Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile chop the vegetables.  Take a large microwave safe bowl   and add ghee onion, ginger-garlic paste, crushed green chili and whole cinnamon, cardamom (remove the skin of the cardamoms), and cloves.Mix well and microwave this for 3 minutes on high power.  Then add chopped tomatoes and stir well and microwave for 2 more minutes.  Then add the chopped carrots, beans, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and rice and again microwave for 3 minutes.  After that add 4 cups of water (no need to boil) and salt to taste and microwave covered for 16 minutes.  When it beeps allow for the standing time.  Mix the rice well and serve hot with some side dishes.  

MANGO PICKLE

Ingredients

Raw mango - 1/2 kg 

Chilly powder - 1/4 cup

Garlic cut in to halves - 1 to 2 bulb

Asafoetida powder - 1/4 - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek powder - 1/4 - 1/2 tsp

Mustard powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Gingelly oil - 25 to 30 ml

Curry leaves - 2 stalks

Water - 1/4 to 1/2 cup

Mustard - 1 tsp

Dried red chillies - 4 nos ( cut in to pieces)

Salt - 3 tbsp or as needed

Vinegar - 30 to 40 ml or as required

Method

Wash the mangoes and rub it with a clean cotton cloth to remove water and cut in to small cubes or dices.  Add salt and mix well.  Keep it aside for 2 or 3 days in a air tight vessel.  Stir one or two times per a day.  Make sure that you are using moisture free spoons to stir the brined mangoes.  

Boil vinegar and keep it aside for cooling.

Heat a thick bottomed vessel and pour gingelly oil.  Sputter mustard and add curry leaves and red chillies to the oil.  Stir well for 3 or 5 seconds and slow down the flame.  Then add garlic slices, red chilly powder and turmeric powder and stir well.  When it is done add water and allow it to boil.  Then add mango dices and stir well and off the stove.  

To the mixture add cooled vinegar, mustard powder, asafoetida powder, and feenugreek powder and mix well.  The pickle is ready.  When it is cooled store in a air tight container.

 

ORANGE COOL

Orange cool is a mock-tail, in which orange juice is blended with white grapes and lime.

Ingredients 

Fresh orange juice - 3/4 cup

Seedless white grapes - 1/2 cup

Lime juice - 2 tsp

Sugar - 1 1/2 tbsp (as per your taste)

Cold water - 1/4 cup

Crushed ice cubes - 2 cubes

Method

In a juicer mix white grapes and orange juice well and strain it.  Then add lime juice, sugar, and cold water.  Again blend well.  Pour the juice in to a glass and serve with the crushed ice cubes.

BEETROOT PICKLE

beetroot pickle 

INGREDIENTS

Beetroot - 500 grm

Chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Gingelly oil - 50 ml

Mustard - 1 tsp

Green chilly sliced - 2 - 3 nos

Garlic sliced - one bulb

Ginger chopped - 1 1/2 tbsp

Vinegar - 75 ml

boiled water - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

HOW TO PREPARE

Wash the beetroots and dry up all the water.  Peel and slice the beetroots in to fine long strips.
Boil half cup water and allow to cool.

Heat a thick bottomed vessel and add oil and crackle mustard.  

Then add curry leaves ,chopped ginger, sliced garlic, and sliced green chilly to it and saute very well for 2 minutes.

Then add chilly powder and turmeric powder and mix well till it is done.

After that add beetroot strips and salt as per your need and saute very well till beet root is half cooked.  

Switch off the stove and add vinegar and boiled water and mix well.  Allow to cool.  

MASHROOM MASALA

Ingredients

Mushroom (boiled and cut in quarters) - 200 grm

Garlic chopped -1  1/2 tsp

Ginger chopped - 1/2 tsp

Chopped onion - 2 nos

Green chilly chopped - 1 no

Tomato chopped - 3 big size

Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seed - 2 tsp

Kasoori methi (dry feenu greek leaves) - 2 tbsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

Refined oil - 1 tbs

Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Fresh cream - 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 1 to 1 1/2 tsp

Water/ milk - as required

Method

Heat a pan and add oil and add cumin seeds.  Then add cnions, green chilly, ginger, garlic and tomato to it.  Saute well till it is done and add chilly powder, turmeric, and kasoori methi.  Saute again till the oil comes out.  Change this masala in to another bowl and make a fine paste when it is cooled.  In the pan add butter and saute mushroom for one minute and add grinded masala, cream, salt, and sugar.  Mix well and add 1/4 cup of water/ milk to loosen the gravy.  In a low flame allow it to boil.  when it starts boiling add lime juice and garam masala powder and stir very well and turn off the stove.  Change it to serving bowl and add coriander leaves and some cream to garnish your mushroom masala.

RAITAS

Raitas are very common in Indian food.  The main ingredient is fresh thick curd.  We can prepare varieties  of raitas by adding fresh vegetables and fruits as per our choice.  Both my kids love curd too much and they like all types of raitas.  Their favorite one is pomegranate raita which they love to have with chapathies, biriyanis, pulaos, fried rice ............   

PLAIN RAITA 

INGREDIENTS

Curd:  1 cup

Onion chopped:  half cup

Green chilly chopped:  1 no
Salt - to taste

METHOD

Take a bowl and add all the ingredients and mix well.

BREAD FRUIT BAJJI

Bajjies are very common south Indian snack.  They are made with different vegetables like capsicum, cauliflower, raw platain, brinjal, chilli, onion, bread fruit etc. In this, veggies are cut in to thin slices and dipped in a batter and fried.  It goes really well with tomato ketch up or chutney.  The choice is yours.

BREAD FRUIT BAJJI

Bread fruit is called kadachakka or sheemachakka in Malayalam.   Bajjies with bread fruits are not so common.  It is very tasty.

BREAD  FRUIT BAJJI 

Ingredients    

Bread fruit - 1 medium sized

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - To fry

For batter

Gram flour (kadala mavu/ basan) - 150 grm

Rice flour - 100 grm

Red chilly powder 1 1/2 tbs

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

salt - 1 1/2 tsp or to taste

Water - 400 to 450 ml

Method

Take the bread fruit and wash it.  Then cut in to half horizontally.  Cut these horizontal halves again  in to two vertical pieces and peel off the skin and remove the central part.  Slice the quarter parts in to 1 cm long slices as in the picture.Take some water in a large vessel and add turmeric powder to it.  Put sliced bread fruit in it and keep aside.

Preparation of batter

In a bowl add gram flour, rice flour, red chilly powder, turmeric, garam masala, and salt.  Mix well with a spoon and add water to make a fine thick batter with out clumps.  

To fry

Take a pan or kadai and add required oil and heat it well.  Meanwhile strain the water from the bread fruit.  Dip each pieces in the batter and put it in the oil.  Put the flame in a medium. Cover the pan for the first minute  and then leave it open.  After 1 minute turn it and leave for another 1 1/2 or 2 minutes.  When it becomes brown take it from the oil.  Repeat the process till the last piece. 

CHICKEN GRAVY IN COCONUT MILK

Ingredients

Chicken (cut in to small pieces) - 1/2 kg

Onion finely sliced - 2 medium sized

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Green chilly crushed - 2 nos

Tomato chopped - 2 medium sized

Chilly powder - 1 tbs

Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tbs

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 3/4 tsp

Roasted fennel seeds (perumgeerakam) powder - 1/4 tsp

Thick coconut milk - 1 1/2 - 2 cups

Salt - As required 

Oil - 2 - 3 tbsp

Curry leaves - 2 spring

Coriander leaves chopped (optional) - 2 tbs 

How to prepare

Clean chicken and marinate with salt, pepper powder and turmeric powder and keep it aside for half an hour.  

Soak chilly powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder in luke-warm water.
Heat a kadai and add oil to it.
Then add sliced onions and a pinch of salt and saute for three minutes.
Then add ginger garlic paste and crushed green chilly and saute for another more three minutes.  T
hen add the soaked masala and saute very well and add tomatoes and saute again until it done well.  After that add marinated chicken pieces and cook covered for 10- 15 minutes.
Don't forget to stir.
Finally add coconut milk, curry leaves,roasted  fennel seed  powder, and salt to it.
Cook for another three -five minute.  Garnish with coriander leaves (It is optional).

SPICY CHICKEN FRY

Ingredients

Medium sized chicken pieces - 1/2 kg

Kashmiri chilli powder - 2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Salt - as per the taste

Oil - to fry

Method

Clean and wash the chicken pieces and drain water completely.  Marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients except oil.  Keep the marinated chicken in the refrigerator for 1 - 1 1/2  hours. Then deep fry the chicken pieces in a kadai till it becomes brown.

DRIED RED CHILLY CHUTNEY/MULAKUCHATHCHATHU

MulakuchathachathuAdd caption

Ingredients

Dried red chilies - 8 nos

Shallots (chuvannulli/sambhar onion)- 4-6 nos

Tamarind (kolpuli) - a small quantity

Salt - as required

Coconut oil - 2 tbs

Preparation

In a pan add 1 tbsp oil and fry the red chilies.  Then crush these chilies along with tamarind, shallots, and salt.  Finally add the oil and mix well.  

CHAKKAPUZHUKKU/RAW JACKFRUIT SMASHED (CHAKKA VEVICHATHU)

Chakkapuzhukku is a traditional dish of Kerala.  I think the majority of the malayalees like this dish.  It is a seasonal dish as it can be prepared only when there is the availability of fresh raw jackfruits.  It is prepared in various methods in different parts of Kerala. I like to make the chakkapuzhukku in the following method and my kids and husband like this so much.

Chakkapuzhukku  with mulakku chathachathu

Ingredients

Raw jack fruit cleaned and finely sliced - 500 gm
Water - as required (it depends on the variety of jack fruit you had taken)

For masala

Grated fresh coconut - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - as per the taste 

Shallots (chuvannulli) - 3 nos

Bird's eye chili (Kanthari mulaku) - 8 nos or as per your taste

Curry leaves - 2 springs
Grind coarsely all the ingredients for masala in a mixer ( it is better to grind with out adding water or add a little)

For seasoning

Mustard - 1 tsp

Dried red chili - 2 nos (cut in to pieces)

Chopped shallots - 2 nos

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Coconut oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

Method

Take a vessel and add horizontally sliced jack fruit and required amount (almost 1-2 cups) of water and close it tightly.  Cook until fine steam comes out.  Then open the lid and add the coarsely grinded masala to the center (don't mix) and cover it again and cook for 4 - 5 minutes in a low flame.  When it is done switch off the stove.  Mix/smash it very well with a large wooden spoon or spatula until all the jack fruit is very well blended with the masala.

Seasoning  

Heat a kadai and add coconut oil.  Add mustard and wait to crack. Then add chopped shallots, curry leaves, and dried red chilies.  Saute till it becomes brown and add this to the puzhukku and mix well.

MIXED VEGETABLE RAITA

INGREDIENTS

Fresh curd:  2 cups

Chopped carrot:  quarter cup

Chopped tomato:  quarter cup

Chopped salad cucumber:  quarter cup

Chopped onion:  quarter cup

Chopped green chilly:  2 tsp

Finely chopped coriander leaves:  1 tbsp

Salt:  as per the taste

METHOD

Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients.  Your vegetable raita is ready.  You can add any fresh vegetable as per your choice.

TOMATO ONION RAITA

Ingredients

Fresh thick curd:  one and half cup

Onion chopped:  half cup

Tomato chopped:  quarter cup

Salad cucumber chopped:  quarter cup

Green chilly chopped: 2 nos

Curry leaves chopped:  1 tsp

Salt:   as per the taste

Method

Beat the curd slightly.  Mix onion, tomato, salad cucumber, green chilly, and curry leaves with hand.  Then add curd to the mixture and finally add the salt as per your taste.  You can add a little bit of sugar to balance the taste.

PINEAPPLE RAITA

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh curd:        one and half cup

Pineapple chopped:   1 cup

Fresh mint leaves finely chopped:  1 tsp

Finely chopped green chilly:  1 tsp

Sugar:  1 tsp

Salt:  As per the taste

HOW TO PREPARE

Beat the curd slightly.  Mix all the ingredients, except mint leaves in a bowl and mix very well.

Finally add the mint leaves at the top for garnishing.  You can use either the fresh pineapple or the canned one.

SALAD CUCUMBER RAITA

Ingredients:

Fresh curd:  2 cup

Salad cucumber chopped:  half cup

Onion chopped:  half cup

Green chilly chopped:  2 nos

Coriander leaves:  1 tbs

Salt:  as per the taste

Oil:  1 tsp

Method: 

Take a bowl and add chopped onion, cucumber, green chilly, oil, and salt.  Mix it well with hand and add the curd and mix it with a spoon.  Sprinkle the coriander leaves at the top for garnish.

POMEGRANATE RAITA

Pomegranates are one of the super and healthiest fruits that we can have.  It is a very rich source of vitamin C and potassium.  It is low in calories and a good source of fibre too.  When it is blended with curd it tastes fantastic and that is why it is one of the favourites of  Richson's.  I am sure that you will really love it !!!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

Fresh curd:  2 cups

Pomegranate seeds :  1 cup

Chopped green chilly:  2 nos

Chopped coriander leaves:  3 tbsp

Salt:  to taste
Sugar:  optional

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and mix it with a spoon.  The curd must be fresh and thick.  If the curd is too sour add some sugar to balance the taste.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves.