Banana Erucherry

Ingredients:
6 raw bananas, peeled, cut into long pieces
8 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 red chillies
salt to taste
3 green chillies, sliced
2 cups coconut scrapings
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp coconut oil

Method:
1. Mix banana pieces with turmeric and salt and cook till soft.
2. Mash slightly.
3. Grind 1 cup coconut, 1 red chilli and cumin to a fine paste.
4. Add to banana mash. Reserve.
5. Heat oil.
6. Add mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and red chilli pieces.
7. Add one cup coconut scrapings and fry till golden.
8. Add the banana mash and mix well.
9. Serve hot.

Kuzhal Puttu

Ingredients:
1 kg raw rice
1 cup coconut gratings
salt to taste
a little water

Method:
1. Clean and soak for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain all the water, spread the rice on a cloth for water to get absorbed.
2. When rice is quite dry, powder it in the dry grinder or the mixi.
3. Sieve the flour, remove the grit, put this back again, grind and sieve.
4. Repeat the process till all the rice has been made into flour.
5. Take 2 cups of the sieved flour, lightly roast on a low flame. See that there are no lumps while roasting. Remove from fire, cool.
6. Add salt to 3 tbsp of water mix and add this to the flour and mix the flour to resemble bread crumbs. Keep this aside for half an hour.
7. Use a puttu kuzhal, fill it up with the mix like below.
8. Spead some coconut gratings at the base, put it some flour, coconut gratings and again flour. Repeat the process ending with coconut. Close the kuzhal and keep it in a vessel of boiling water. Cover the vessel and boil for a while till steam comes out of the kuzhal. Remove the kuzhal from boiling water.
9. Place the kuzhal on a plate, open both ends and with a stick or a ladle, gently push the cooked puttu out.
It will be cylindrical in shape. Cut this into thick slices.

Serve hot with kadalai curry or sugar and banana.

Plantain Chips

Ingredients
Raw (Green) Plantains
Oil
Salt
Water

Method
Mix salt with water to make a salt solution. Skin the plantains.
Boil the oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is boiling, slice the skinned plantains to about 1/16" thick, directly into the oil.
Control the heat so that the plantains are not burned.
Once the plantains are about half fried (the color starts to change), sprinkle the salt solution into the oil as needed.
Fry the plantains to a crispy stage. Remove the fried plantains from oil and drain them in paper towels.
Once the fried plantains are at room temperature, keep them in closed container.

Adhirasam

Ingredients:
• 1/2 kg Rice
• 300 gm Jaggery
• Oil for frying

Method:
• Soak rice in water for half an hour.
• Spread it on a large cloth or newspaper for half an hour.
• When it is three fourth dried, put it in a mixie and powder it.
• Dissolve jaggery in minimum water and mix well.
• Put this on heat.
• Cook it until the jaggery syrup becomes thick like a paste.
• Combine this syrup with the powdered rice and mix well to make dough.
• Cover it and leave it for about 8 hours.
• Take 2 cups of oil and heat it.
• Make a ball of out of the dough on a plastic sheet and flatten it by hand.
• Fry in oil until it becomes golden brown on both sides.

Kara Thenkuzhal

Ingredients

Raw rice - 4 cups
Tur dal - 1/2 cup
Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 25 gms
Chilli powder - 3 tablespoons
Asafetida powder - 2 teaspoons
Butter - 100 gms
Table salt - to taste
Oil - for frying

Method:

Wash and clean the rice well.
Let it out to dry and once it has dried completely, powder it nicely.
Fry the pulses orange, powder them and allow them to cool.
Mix the powdered rice, powdered pulses, cumin seeds, asafetida powder, chilli powder, butter and salt together, without adding water.
Take a little of this mixture, add water to it to get a dough 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.
Take some of the dough and pass it through the special thenkuzhal strainer and deep fry till it turns golden brown. Keep flipping the sides till the thenkuzhal is done.
Store in an air tight container.

Butter Murukku

Ingredients
Rice flour - 2 cups
Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Unsalted butter - 3 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - 1 pinch
Refined oil as required
Salt to taste

Method
1. In a heavy bottomed pan, fry Urad dal till light brown and let it cool.
2. Grind it into a fine powder.
3. To this add the rice flour & the rest of the ingredients except butter.
4. Melt the butter and add it to the dry ingredients.
5. Mix it well & mould it into a dough.
6. (Make sure it has the right consistency to pass through the murukku pressure).
7. With the help of a murukku presser/mould, fry it in a deep pan of heated oil, until they are golden brown in colour.
8. Drain them in a paper towel to remove excess oil, let them cool.
9. Store in an air tight container.
10. Enjoy crispyand tasty homemade butter murukku.
11. Everyone at your home will love it.

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:

3-4 tbsp. Red Gram Daal
4 large tomatoes (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp. Garlic paste
1-inch piece of ginger (finely chopped)
21/2 cups water
1tsp Garlic grated
1 or 2 green chilies finely chopped
Coriander leaves finely chopped
Salt to taste chili or pepper powder to taste.
1/2tsp. turmeric powder
1tsp. mustard seeds
1tsp. cumin seeds
1-2 whole dried red chili (halved)
A pinch asafetida
Few curry leaves
2tbsp. oil

Method:

* Pick, wash and pressure cook the daal and keep side.
* Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dried chili and asafetida.
* When mustard seeds start to splutter add garlic, ginger, tomatoes and green chilies.
* Add salt, chili & turmeric powder and a cup of water.
* Simmer for 5-6 minutes and add the cooked daal and 11/2 cup of water and bring to boil.
* Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

Pudina Rasam

Ingredients:

Pudina Leaves
Cumin Seeds
Green Chilli
Tur Dal - 1/4th cup
Salte to taste
Water as required
Lemon Juice as needed
Pepper - optional
Coriander Leaves - optional

Method:

Separate Pudina leaves from the stock and wash it.
Fry the pudina leaves without oil in a nonstick pan along with few cumin seeds for 2 minutes.
After it cools put it in a mixer along with one green chilli.
Keep aside.
Pressure cook Tur Dal with four times water.
Now mix pudina paste, salt and bring to a boil.
Then squeese some lemon juice as per your taste
You can also add pepper to make it spicy.
Garnish with coriander leaves

Drumstick Rasam

Ingredients

1-2 Drumsticks, tender and fleshy ones
1 Tomato, quatered
1/4 cup Tur dal
a lemon sized ball of Tamarind or 1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp Rasam Powder
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Jeera seeds
1-2 Red Chillies (dried)
a pinch of Hing
a few Curry Leaves (kadipatta)
Oil or Ghee for frying
A few Coriander leaves, chopped fine

Method:

Pressure cook the tur dal till it's soft (3-4 whistles)
Soak the tamarind in 4 cups water and strain the juice
Pour this juice in a vessel and add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, rasam powder and salt. Keep on gas in medium flame.
Boil the drumsticks seperately till cooked.
Remove the insides of the drumsticks and put it in the tamarind water mixture.
Bring the whole mixture to a boil.
Add the tur dal and boil on medium flame for 5-6 mins.
Season with mustard, jeera, hing, red chillies, curry leaves & ghee (you can season in oil also).
Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon juice, serve hot with rice.

Sweet Pongal

Ingredients

Moong dhal - 1/2 cup.
Rice - 1/2 cup.
Milk
Coconut
cashew
jaggery
raisins (khish-mish - dry grapes)
cardamom
ghee.

Fry the moong dhal (before washing) till it becomes little light brown (it
will start smelling). Then soak rice and dhal separately for 10 minutes.
Thoroghly wash and keep it in cooker with the right water (lesser is o.k)and
cook it seperately (in two different containers). Meanwhile cut coconut in
very small pieces and fry in ghee. Fry cashew and raisins also separately.
Break the jagerry and put in water (very little) and make a syrup. This is
done because sometimes jagerry has mud and stones. After we make the syrup
strain it through tea strainer. Put the rice and dhal in a big vessel and
add milk (may be one cup) and cook it till all the milk gets absorbed. Add
jaggery syrup and again cook till even it gets absorbed. Add three big table
spoons of ghee, powdered cardamon and cook again for a while. Add fried
coconut, cashews and raisins.

Rava Pongal

Ingredients

Rava 1 cup
moong dal 1/3 cup
water 4 1/2 cup
salt 3/4 tsp
cashews 1 tsp(broken)
ghee 4 tbs
curry leaves
ginger 1/2 tsp
peppercorn 1 tsp
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. In a dry pan add rava and fry it till raw smell goes off.
2. Remove it from the pan and keep aside.
3. To the pan, add 2 tsp of ghee and fry peppercorn and cumin for 2 mins at medium heat.
4. Grind this to a powder and keep aside.
5. Add the remaining ghee and fry cashews, curryleaves, ginger and keep aside.
6. In a thick vessel add moong dal and fry till it smells or golden brown.
7. Add 1 1/2 cup of water to dal and 1/2 cook.
8. In a cooker place a vessel containing remaining water, rava and the seasoning mixture.
9. Bring to boil and stir the mixture.
10. Add weight and cook it for 8-10 mins.
11. Add ghee when it is removed from the stove.
12. Eat it with coconut chutney.

Paal Pongal

Ingredients:
1 cup of Raw Rice
2 cups of Milk
2 cups Water
Salt to Taste

Method:
Boil Water in a pot and add Rice when water boils.
Add milk to this when rice is half cooked.
Add salt to taste (add little less salt than you add normally) and stir well.
Stop cooking after the rice is fully cooked and the mixture is 90% Solid.

This rice can be had with any curry or simply with jagerry and banana

Green Tomato Pickle

Ingredients
250 gms. firm green tomatoes
1 large hard apple, peeled, cored, diced
1 large onion finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh mint leaves finely chopped
10-12 long hot green chillies, chopped
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil

Method
Heat oil in a heavy pan, add onions, stir.
Add 1 tbsp. Vinegar, simmer till onions are transparent.
Add tomatoes, apples, cook till mixture is mushy.
Add all other ingredients, allow sugar to dissolve.
Simmer till thick, and there is no water residue.
Pour into sterile jar, cool and seal.

Green Pepper Pickles

Ingredients
green pepper - 250 gm
lemon - 5
turmeric powder - a pinch
asafoetida powder - a pinch
mustard seeds -1 tsp
salt to taste
cooking oil - 4 tbsp

Method
First of all keep a clean and dry container ready.
Clean the green pepper thoroughly and pat them dry with a clean cloth.
Then, transfer them into the container.
Add lemon juice over them such that they are fully immersed in the juice.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustards seeds, asafoetida powder and turmeric powder and pour it over the pepper and mix well.
Keep it aside for a week and use it with a dry spoon.

Bitter Gourd Pickle

Ingredients
1/4 kg bitter gourd (small variety)
2 tbsp saunf (aniseed)
2 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp asafoetida
salt to taste
1 tbsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp dried mango powder
1/4 tsp citric acid
1/4 garam masala
1 tbsp coarsely crushed coriander seeds
2 tbsp coarsely crushed mustard seeds
250 gm oil

Method
Peel and apply turmeric and salt to bitter gourds.
Keep aside for 1/2 hour.
Put them in boiling water with the citric acid.
Boil for 5-7 minutes. Remove from water and wipe dry.
Heat half the oil, add asafoetida, saunf, coriander seeds.
Remove from fire. Add all the masalas and mix well.
Cool and fill in the gourds. Tie them up securely with string.
Arrange them in a glass or pickle jar. Heat remaining oil a little.
Add a few pinches citric acid and 1/3 tsp salt. Pour over the gourds.
Allow to tenderise for 3-4 days more. Remove string before serving.

Green Chilli Pickle

Ingredients:
1 kg green chillies - chopped
1 cup salt
1/2 kg mustard oil
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp turmeric powder
200 gm ginger - finely ground
250 gm garlic - finely ground
100 gm cumin seeds - roasted and ground
200 gm large mustard seeds - roasted and ground
1 cup sugar
200 gm tamarind
3 cups of white vinegar

Method:

Marinate the chillies in salt for at least two hours.
Soak the tamarind in the vinegar for at least two hours and extract the pulp.
In a large vessel heat the mustard oil and add red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
Add the ginger and garlic and mix well. Continue stirring for some time.
Mix in the cumin powder and mustard powder.
Pour the tamarind-vinegar pulp and mix well.
Add sugar and cook on low heat for some time.
Now add the chillies and cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat till the oil seperates.
Serve.

Mixed Vegetable Pickle

Ingredients:
2 - carrots
2 - raw mangoes
50 g - green chillies
2 - karelas (bittergourd)
5 - lemons
50 g - fresh ginger
3 tsp - red chilly powder
2 tsp - mustard (rai) powder
1 tsp - hing
1 tsp - turmeric powder
3 tbsp - oil
salt to taste

Method

Slice the vegetables into small pieces (de-seed karela).
In a jar, add the veggies, chilly powder, turmeric, mustard, hing, salt and two lemons cut into small pieces. Mix well.
Heat oil and when cool, add to the pickle mix.
Then add the juice of the other three lemons and mix well.
The pickle is ready the next day and can be preserved for 10 to 15 days.

Ginger Pickle

Ingredients:
2 cups ginger-shredded fine
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp salt to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp chilli powder or to taste
1 tsp asafoetida powder

Method:
Mix all the ingredients and cook over high heat.

When it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for a minute or so.

Store in a clean jar.

Lemon Sevai

Ingredients:
2 cups prepared sevai
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp bengalgram dal (chana dal)
juice of one large lemon
2 tbsp gingely oil
1 tbsp chopped coriander
salt to taste

Seasoning:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
1-2 red chillies, broken
2 green chillies, slit
2 sprigs curry leaves
large pinch of turmeric powder

Method:
1. Soak bengal gram dal for 1/2 hour and when soft, strain all the water, set aside.

2. Take out juice of the lemon, add salt, mix. Keep sevai on a plate.

3. Heat oil, add seasonings given in that order. When done, add soaked gram dal, stir fry till all the water us absorbed and the dal has turned soft. Remove from fire. Pour onto sevai.

4. Add lime juice, chopped coriander and mix thoroughly, but lightly (use a fork for this).

5. Serve with coconut chutney.

Coconut Sevai

Ingredients:
2 cups prepared sevai
1/2 - 1 cup coconut gratings
1 tbsp blackgram dal (urad dal)
1 tbsp gingely oil
1/2 - 1 tbsp ghee
4-6 cashew nuts (broken into small pieces)
1 tbsp chopped coriander
salt to taste

Seasoning:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
large pinch of asafoetida
1-2 red chillies, broken into 2-3 pieces each
1-2 green chillies, slit
1-2 sprigs curry leaves

Method:
1. Soak blackgram dal in some water for about 1/2 hour; strain all the water and set aside.

2. Heat oil - ghee together, fry cashew nut pieces to a golden brown, remove and set aside.

3. Add seasonings in the order given; when mustard is done add soaked dal and stir on low heat till it turns light brown in colour and all the water has been absorbed.

4. Add coconut gratings, pinch of salt (or more to taste) and stir fry on low heat till gratings turn light brown in colour.

5. Remove kadai from fire, add sevai, fried cashew nuts and chopped coriander, mix all of it lightly and thoroughly.

6. Serve hot with curry leaf chutney.