Kai Murukku

Ingredients Needed:
1. Boiled Rice - 1 cup (soak in water for 2 hours)
2. Red Chilli dried 2
3. Hing
4. Butter = 1-1/2 tsp
5. Chutney Dal Powder 3 tsp
6. Salt - to taste
7. Water - if needed
8. Coconut Oil - 2 tsp for applying in hands
9. Oil for deep frying.
Method:
1. Grind Rice with Chilli into fine paste and keep in cloth to take out extra moisture.
2. Add Dal powder, Butter, Salt, Hing and mix well. (Sprinkle water if needed)
3. In a cloth or kitchen towel take small amount of dough and sprial it in circular motion (like turning a tap or a screw). Make minimum 2 rounds. As you know, more will make it bigger. Follow the same procedure for remaining.
4. Let it dry for about 30 minutes and deep fry in hot oil till done.
5. Cool and store in air tight container.

Vaazhaipoo Kola Urundai

Ingredients


Banana flower -1
Chutney dal/roasted chana dal-3/4 cup(powdered)
cashews-6 chopped finely
corainder leaves- a few chopped finely
onion- 1 chopped finely
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
To grind
green chillies-3 or acc to taste
poppy seeds- 1 tsp
cinnamon- 1 small piece
cloves-2
Saunf- 1/2 tsp
ginger - a small piece
garlic- 3 cloves chopped finely


Method


Takeout the florets from the banana flower. Then remove the stamens from them. Get a clear idea of how to do it HERE. Chop the florets finely. Boil water in a pan and add salt and the florets.When the florets are cooked , drain them and squeeze them well to remove excess water.
Add the chutney dal powder to it and mix well. Add chopped onions, cashews,coriander leaves and the ground masala to the banana flower mixture. No need to add water. Make small balls and deep fry in hot oil.

Payar Thoran

Ingredients
Payar (long beans) 2 cups chopped fine
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
Green Chilly - 3-4
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Coconut - 1/2 cup shredded

Method
Chop long beans very fine.
Mince garlic and green chilly together.
Shred coconut and mix with minced garlic, green chilly and turmeric.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and urad dal.
When mustard seeds crackle, add curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
Add long beans to pan along with 1 cup of water and cook on medium heat.
When almost done, add salt, and coconut-mix and mix well and cook till beans is done and water is fully evaporated.

No Oil Spicy Mango Pickle

Ingredients
2 medium raw mangoes
3 tbsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. asafoetida
1 tbsp. coarsely crushed mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (optional)

Method
Chop mangoes into big (1") chunks.
Discard seeds. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. Salt and 1/2 tsp. Turmeric.
Rub to coat all pieces, place aside for 3-4 hours.
Put in a colander to drain out water.
Spread on a clean absorbent cloth for 2 hours.
Take piece in a large bowl.
Sprinkle all other ingredients and toss to blend evenly.
Put pieces in a clean glass jar, keep aside.
Allow to mature for two days in a clean dry corner.
Shake jar daily. Refrigerate.

Banana Halwa

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp Nutmeg ground
1 tablespoon Pure Ghee
3 medium bananas ripe, peeled and mashed
1 cup Sugar

Method:

* Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Add bananas and cook over low heat, stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking. Cook for 10 minutes, or until bananas have browned and resemble soft toffee. Add more ghee as neccessary.
* Add sugar and continue stirring until dissolved.
* Add nutmeg and cardamom; remove from heat.
* Spread halwa into a deep, large plate. Allow it to cool and cut into squares.

Turkey with Chestnut

Ingredients
1 turkey
6 cups chestnuts boiling salted water
1 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup cream
2/3 cup dry bread or cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons grated onion broiled sausages (for garnish)

Method
Shell and skin the chestnuts and drop them into boiling salted water. Cook them until they are soft.
Put them through a potato ricer and combine them with the remaining ingredients.
Fill cleaned turkey with the dressing.
Roast the turkey uncovered in a slow over 300o f until tender.
Season with salt and pepper when it is half cooked.
Serve on hot platter and garnish with broiled sausages.

Turkey Biryani

Ingredients
1 lb. turkey (cut in medium pieces)
cardamom to taste
cinnamon to taste
5 tbsp. clarified butter
cloves to taste
1 tsp. all spice powder
1 tbsp. garlic (paste)
1 tbsp. ginger (paste)
5 onion
salt to taste
5 tomato
1/2 cup yoghurt
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
10 green chilies
2 tsps. red chili powder
2 1/2 cups rice (basmati)
2 tsps. coriander powder

Method
Marinate turkey with yoghurt, chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and
salt. Set aside for atleast 4 hours.Add 3 tablespoons of oil to the frying pan. Add ginger
garlic paste when oil is hot and fry till golden brown.

Now add cut onions, green chillies and fry till onion is transparent. Add tomatoes and fry
well. Add mint and coriander leaves and set aside to cool. Once cooled, blend all this in a
blender till the mixture becomes finely grinded.

Add ghee and oil to a frying pan, when heated add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Fry
till brown. Now add salt, the blended and the marinated mixtures and mix well. You can
also add mint and coriander leaves while cooking.

If you are using pressure cooker let the mixture with turkey cook for 2 whistles. Otherwise
for frying pan cook the mixture for 30-40 minutes, till the meat is half cooked. Meanwhile
wash the basmati rice well and drain the water. Once the meat is ready, add water and
basmati rice.

Rice to water ratio should be 1:2(the water includes the gravy from cooking the meat).
Add salt to the mixture. Let the rice cook. Once done serve hot with curd raita

Turkey Fry

Ingredients
1/2 kg turkey breast
2 cups broccoli florets
1 capsicum, thinly stripped
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 sprig spring onion, chopped finely
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1/4 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp grated ginger paste
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/8 tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt as per taste

Method
Mix and wash dals well. Soak for 30 minutes.
Pressure cook till soft but not overcooked. (Approx. 3 whistles)
Mash a little with the back of a spoon, while hot.
Heat butter in a deep pan. Add seeds, allow to splutter.
Add onion, ginger and green chillies.
Stir fry till soft, add masalas (red chillies and salt) and dals, mix well.
Bring to a boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander and lemon juice.
Serve hot with rice, rotis, etc.

Cashewnut Thenkuzhal

Ingredients:
raw rice - 1 cup
cashewnuts - 100 gms
ghee - 1 tblsp
powdered salt - 3/4 tasp
oil - for deep frying

Method:
1. Soak rice for 10 minutes.
2. Drain well and spread over a towel to dry under shade (for 1/2 an hour)
3. Powder it in a mixie and sieve.
4. Grind cashews to smooth thick paste with just enough water.
5. Mix this with flour, add salt, melted hot ghee and mix well.
6. Sprinkle little water if necessary and knead like a thick dough.
7. Fill dough in greased murukku maker with 3 eyed disc.
8. Prepare small murukkus on top of a wet towel.
9. Deep fry few at a time in hot oil till the oil holds.
10. When crisp take out and put in a colander or on absorbent paper to drain excess oil.

Store in air-tight containers.

Paneer Makkanwala

Ingredients :
Paneer - as required
Butter - 2 1/2 tbsp
Oil - to deep fry paneer pieces.

Grind together:
Onions - 2
Ginger - 1 " piece
Garlic - 6 flakes
Red chillies - 3
Tomatoes - 5 medium sized
Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch
Curry leaves - few
Grated coconut - 1 1/2 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 " piece
Cloves - 4
Cardamoms - 2
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Dhainia powder 0 2 tbsp
Salt - required amount

Method :
1. Cut paneer into cubes, and deep fry in oil.
2. grind masala without adding water. Heat half of the butter and one tablespoon of oil, add the ground masala and fry well till ghee separates from it.
3. Add fried paneer cubes and 1 tablesppon of butter, with little water.
4. Reduce the flame, cover and keep for few minutes.
5. Stir carefully in between.
6. Remove from fire and serve garnished with coriander leaves.
7. Finely cut onions and lime pieces can be served as accompaniments.

Kurma for Ghee Rice

Ingredients :
Mixed diced vegetables - 4 cups (carrot, potato, cauliflower, beans and peas)
Salt - to taste
Garam MAsala powder - 1 tsp
Ghee or oil - 3 tbsp

Grind together :
Garlic - 5 flakes
Green chilles - 8 (fry both with little oil)
Coconut scrapings - 5 tbsp
Ginger - 1" piece
Onion - 1 big
Coriander leaves - 1 bunch

Method :
1. Fry the vegetables in ghee.
2. Add the ground masala with enough water, salt, garam masala powder and sugar for taste.
3. Keep in pressure cooker and cook for 7 minutes after the vent has been put.
4. Garnish with coriander leaves and squeeze lime juice of desired.
5. Instaed of masala powder, fry aniseeds, cardamom, cinnmon, bayleaf and cashewnuts.
6. Pour on top of the kurma, mix well and then remove from fire. serve with Ghee Rice.

Omapodi

Ingredients

Omam - 15 gms
Gram flour - 2 cups
Rice flour - 2 cups
Table salt - to taste
Oil - for frying

Method:

Fry the omam well, powder it and sieve it fine.
Similarly sieve the rice and gram flours too.
Mix the omam powder, rice flour, gram flour, salt and butter and mix well.
Add water to get a thick paste-like consistency.
Heat oil in a kadai. Test how hot it is by dropping a pinch of dough into it - if it sinks, the oil hasn't become hot enough. If the dough springs to the top with bubbles all around it, then the oil is just ready.
Pass the dough through the special omapodi strainer and fry golden brown. Keep flipping the sides till the omapodi is done.
Store in an air tight container.

Spicy Sev

Ingredients
2 cups gram flour (besan)
1/2 tsp. ajwain (omam) seeds
1 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
2-3 pinches asafoetida
water to make dough
oil to deep fry

Method
1.Mix the chilli, oil, salt and seeds into the flour.
2.Add enough water to make a dough which is quite gooey.
3.It should not be pliable but sticky.
4.Grease the inside of a Sev-press, fill with the dough.
5.Press into hot oil, and fry lightly on both sides.
6.Drain well and cool before storing.

Variation:
You may adjust the chillies as per taste.

You may omit chillies to make bland sev.
You may add finely crushed dried herbs (eg. mint) for add flavour.

Deepavali Legiyam

Ingredients:
Peppercorn - 2 tsps
Cumin seeds Jeera - 2 1/2 tsps
Coriander seeds - 2 1/2 tsps
Bishop weed seeds/Ajwain - 25 grms/3tbsps
Dry or fresh ginger - 30 gm
Cardamom - 1gm/2 to 3
Nutmeg or jaadhikkai - ½ piece
Ghee or clarified butter - 100gms
KandaThipli (Desavaram Pipala mool) - 10 to 12 sticks
Crumbled Jaggery (equal to the amount of ground paste) - 50 grms

Method:
1. Smash all the dry and medicinal ingredients in a mortar and pestle.
2. Pour some water and soak them for about 10 - 15 minutes
3. Grind into a soft paste in a blender.
4. Add 1/2 cup water and thoroughly mix up the paste and place in a heavy bottomed wok or vessel
5. Cook it on a slow flame, stirring it all the time with a flat ladle so that no lumps are formed.
6. When the water is nearly evaporated add the crumbled jaggery and stir it in.
7. Add spoonfuls of ghee and keep stirring.
8. When the lehiyam comes together in a ball and the ghee is separated from it, turn off the heat.
9. Stir in the honey and store in an airtight container.
10. Take one spoon of lehiyam on Deepavali after taking bath and before you eat anything else.

PS: This lehiyam can also be made using readymade powders that are available in many local medicine shops. Mix the powder with two times the water and cook in a heavy bottom vessel. Add jaggery and ghee until the lehiyam comes together and the ghee is separated.

PASTA SALAD

Ingredients

1. 100g-pasta
2. 1/2 cup- curd
3. 1/2 cup-mayonnaise sugar to taste salt to taste white pepper to taste

Method

Boil the pasta .

Beat the curd and mayonnaise in separate bowls and mix together.

Sprinkle sugar,salt and pepper to taste to the curd-mayonnaise paste.
Mix the pasta to the curd mayonnaise paste and refrigerate.

Ready to serve once chilled.

PANEER FINGER

iNGREDIENTS
1. MAIDA 1/4 CUP
2. CORN FLOUR 1/4 cUP
3. MILK 4 TSP SOY SAUCE aND
4. TOMATO SAUCE- 4TSP
5. PANEER-1 PACKET SALT

METHOD
MIX ABOVE ALL WELL EXCEPT PANEER, ADD SOME WATER AND MAKE IT AS BATTER.

CUT PANEER AS THIN FINGER AND DIP IT IN BATTER FRY WELL IN OIL.

GARNISH WITH CORRINDER LEAVES

DATES KHEER

Ingredients

1. 2cups thin coconut milk fresh or canned
2. 1 cup dates deseeded and chopped in to small pieces
3. 1/2 cup whole milk (optional)
4. 1 ot 2 tsp jaggery, powdered
5. 1tsp elaichi /cardamom, powerderd
6. 3 to4 tsp cashwes


Method

Keep aside few pieces of date for garnishing and grind the rest to asmooth paste along with the half the coconut milk.

Empty the paste into a heavy bottemed pan and bring to boil on the stove.

Addthe remaining coconut milk ,jaggery elaichi and boil well if the mixture is too thick ,add milk and boil for some more time .

Adjust the sweetness according to yourtaste.

Remove from Stove Garnish with the remaining date pieces and fried cashews and serve hot.

Khari Pudi

Ingredients

2 cups maida (plain flour)
1/4 cup rice flour
2 tbsp. rice flour separate
1/2 tsp. omam seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/5 tsp. asafoetida powder
2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. ghee
Salt to taste
Some dry flour for dusting
Oil to deepfry

Method:

1. Mix together plain flour and 1/4 cup rice flour.
2. Add salt, seeds, 2 tbsp. oil, asafoetida, turmeric, mix well.
3. Add enough water to make a not too soft pliable dough.
4. Take a pingpong ball sized lump, shape into ball, roll.
5. While rolling use dry flour for dusting.
6. Roll into a large chappati. Apply ghee on top with back of spoon.
7. Sprinkle some rice flour all over.
8. Starting from one end, roll into a tight swiss roll.
9. Cut into 3/4" to 1" thick slices.
10. Take one, roll over it lightly once or twice only.
11. The pudi shoud just flatten enough to stay together.
12. Do not roll to make thin again.
13. Place on a clean cloth, to dry a bi.
14. Keep aside. Repeat till all dough is over.
15. Heat oil in a heavy frying pan.
16. Let in few pudis at a time in hot oil.
17. Fry on med. To low flame till very lightly golden.
18. Flip sides and repeat above.
19. Drain and keep aside to cool.
20. Cool completely before storing.

Thenkuzhal

Ingredients
Rice - 2 Aazhakku
Broken Greengram (Payathamparuppu) - 1 Handfull
Broken Black gram (Uluthamparuppu) - 1/2 Aazhakku

Method

The above mentioned ingredients should be ground into fine flour in a mill.

Cool the ground flour, sieve, and add 2 tsp Ghee, 1 tsp table salt, 1/2 tsp jeera. Mix well.

Squeeze through the tubular press and deep fry them.

Sitaphal Rabdi

Ingredients
1 cup sitaphal pulp
2 litres whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
4 almonds
4 green pistachios, unsalted
1/4 tsp. saffron strands
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
1 tsp. chopped fragrant red rose petals

Method
Crush almonds and pasta coarsely, or cut into thin slivers.
Boil milk in a clean heavy pan.
Simmer for ten minutes, after it starts boiling.
Stir occasionally while boiling.
Add sugar, stir till dissolved.
Take off fire, add saffron, cardamom, almonds, pastas.
Cool to room temperature.
Add sitaphal pulp, chill for 3-4 hours till very cold.
Put in individual serving bowls sprinkle very few chopped petals to garnish.
Serve chilled.