This brinjal fry is a quick, flavourful and best veg accompaniment for rice. To make this recipe, select large (big) variety of brinjal with no or less seeds.

Do try this recipe and post your comments in feedback section.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Brinjal, big sized

2 tablespoons Curd

1½ tablespoons Red chilly powder

1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste

1 teaspoon Garam masala

½ teaspoon Turmeric powder

1 teaspoon Sambar powder

Salt, required

Oil for shallow fry

INSTRUCTIONS:

Rinse and slice brinjal with each slices having 0.4 cm thickness.

Make a mixture of curd, red chilly powder, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt. Sprinkle little water to make smooth paste.

Add in the sliced brinjal to the marinade, mix well and marinate for atleast one hour.

Heat little oil in a pan and fry the marinated brinjal slices. Flip to fry both sides.

Remove and serve hot with rice.

Tender coconut pudding is a perfect treat for hot summer days. It is a silky, creamy dessert made with simple ingredients. Lets see how to prepare this authentic Kerala recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Meat from 1 tender coconut (approximately ¾ to 1 cup )

10 grams China grass

2½ cups Full cream milk

1 tin Condensed milk

1½ cup Tender coconut water

1½ cup Water (to boil china grass )

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a pan, add milk and allow it to boil. When it comes to single boil, reduce the flame and add condensed milk little by little, while continue mixing. When it is done , switch off the flame . After 5 minutes, add tender coconut water and  Mix well.

Scrape the tender coconut meat, mix it with a little tender coconut water, and grind it in a mixer in pulse mode. Make sure that, you use only the thinner tender coconut meat. Add the coconut pulp to prepared milk mixture.

Meanwhile in another pan, boil 1 ½ cup water and add china grass in to it. Stir well in a low flame until china grass melts completely.

Now add the strained china grass mixture to above prepared tender coconut mixture. Mix well and transfer to any mold and keep in fridge till set.

Serve cold and enjoy..

TIPS:

• Use really tender coconut to get creamy texture.
• Cut china grass into small pieces before boiling. Make sure it is completely melted.
• You can add sugar, if you want extra sweetness.

Aattukaal kulambu or paya is a traditional and nutritious dish from South India, especially very famous in Tamilnadu.  Most of the South Indian restaurants, serve this Paya with Idiyappam, Aappam, Idly, Dosa, Chapati, Roti, Parathas and also goes excellent with hot rice.

Aattukaal paya is a thick stew made with goat or lamb’s feet. .The rich and spicy ingredients gives the taste and flavour to the curry, thus making it more delicious.  Traditionally, the paya  is prepared in an earthenware left overnight on a firewood/coal. But the below recipe has been cooked in pressure cooker. People from my hometown makes it very often, as it is easily available and My mom usually makes it atleast once in a month. But since i don’t get it in Brunei, i usually asks my mom or mil, to prepare very often, whenever i go to India.

Paya is regularly recommended for people recovering from fractures, breathing problems and some other prolonged illness. Do try this recipe and post your feedback in comments section.

INGREDIENTS:

½ kg Lamb’s feet (Aattukaal ), cleaned

1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste

1 + 1 tablespoons Red chilly powder

1½ tablespoons Coriander powder

½ teaspoon Turmeric powder

½ cup Shallots, halved

1 Tomato, chopped

2 Green chillies, slit

1 sprig Curry leaves

1½ cup Thin coconut milk

¾ cup Thick coconut milk

1 inch Cinnamon stick, 2 Cardamom, 2 Cloves, 1 Bay leaf

Salt ,required

Coconut oil, required

TO TEMPER:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 sprig Curry leaves

1 shallot, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a small bowl, take ginger garlic paste and a tablespoon of red chilly powder. Mix well and keep aside.

In another wide bowl, take thin coconut milk, coriander powder, red chilly powder and turmeric powder. Mix well and set aside.

Add coconut oil in cooker. When heated enough, add a sprig of curry leaves and sliced shallots. Allow it to fry till they turn brown. Take out along with oil in a small plate and keep aside.

Now add 3 tablespoons of coconut oil. When heated, add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf , cloves, curry leaves and fry for few seconds. Reduce the flame and add ginger garlic paste mixture. Fry for few seconds or until raw smell goes off.

Now add in shallots, tomato, chilly and cleaned lamb’s feet. Mix well and cook until tomato mashes well and incorporates well with the lamb’s feet.Add in prepared thin coconut milk mixture and salt.

Mix well and allow it to boil. When it comes to single boil, close the pressure cooker and keep in high flame for 3 to 5 whistles. Now reduce the flame and keep it in low for 10 min and turn off the heat. When the pressure gets released , open the cooker, give a good mix and keep it in medium flame again.

When it begins to boil, add thick coconut milk, cook for few minutes and turn off the heat. Add in tempered shallots and curry leaf mixture.

Mix well and serve hot with rice.

“Roti Jala” or “Jalar” or “Malaysian Net Crepes” or “Lacy Pancakes” is a popular Malay snack usually served with curry dishes.  Jalar is very famous among muslim community of certain coastal regions of Tamilnadu. This recipe has been brought to Tamilnadu by Muslim traders who were trading in Malaysia and Singapore , several decades before. We usually make this recipe for Eid or on any auspicious events.

To make this Jalar, you need a special cup with few nozzles. Now a days Jalar cups or Jalar bottles are available in most of the bigger super markets in Tamilnadu. Jalar bottles are very useful, in which you can keep the remaining batter and store in fridge and also need not to fill the batter for every jalar. If you don’t find any, you can use ketchup dispenser or use empty water bottle punctured with holes.  The batter is poured into the cup and moved in an overlapping circular motion to create the lacy effect. The consistency of the batter plays an important role in it. It should not too thick or too runny.

In Malaysia, traditionally freshly ground Turmeric is added to the batter, to get pale yellow colour and mild fragrance. But in Tamilnadu , mostly shallots and fennels seeds are added to get the fragrance. Some may add turmeric while others avoid it.

Do try this recipe and post your feedback in comments section.

INGREDIENTS:

5 to 6 Shallots

1 Tablespoon Fennel seeds

3 cups Maida/ Refined flour

2 to 2½ cups Thick Coconut Milk

½ cup Thin Coconut Milk

1 Egg

1 Tablespoon Sugar

Salt, required

½ cup Ghee +  ½ cup Oil (mixed)

1 Jalar bottle/ Cup

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a blender, take shallots and fennel seeds. Grind it to fine paste, by adding little coconut milk. Strain it and discard the pulp. Keep the juice aside.

In a big blender jar, take refined flour, coconut milk, egg, extracted shallot juice,salt and sugar – blend well. To make it lump free, strain it using a strainer.

Batter should flow free from the jalar cup. So adjust accordingly either by adding water or flour.

Heat a non stick pan and grease with ghee and fill the jalar bottle with the batter. Gently swirl the mould over the pan and make lacy patterns. It cooks within seconds. Cook until it turns crisp. Need not flip.

Gently slide the cooked crepe on to the plate and fold it to a triangle.

Serve hot with any spicy non-veg curry.

Sundakkai or Turkey berries are healthy, nutritious and rich in anti oxidants. In Tamilnadu, turkey berries are traditionally used in household meals, either in fresh or dried form. Turkey berries are slightly bitter in taste and has amazing healthy benefits. Regular intake of Turkey berries helps to prevent cancer, diabetes, anaemia, cardiovascular diseases and many life threatening diseases.

Crushing the berry before cooking helps to reduce bitterness. Using claypot and cold-pressed oil for making this recipe,gives the traditional and authentic taste. Usually, coconut milk is not added to this recipe, but here i have added to make it more tastier. You can go upto your preference. This curry tastes excellent when served with hot rice or idly.

INGREDIENTS:

50 grams pachai sundakkai/ fresh turkey berry

1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced

1 tomato, chopped

5 to 6 garlic cloves

1 sprig curry leaves

1/2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

Hing, a pinch

2 tablespoons vathal kuzhambu powder/ sambar powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

3/4 cup tamarind water

1/4 cup coconut milk

3+ 1 tablespoons gingelly oil

Salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wash the berries to remove the dirts. Using a mortar & pestle, slightly crush the berries. Do it in batches. Do not over crush the berries, just break it roughly. Set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a claypot. Add sliced onions and curry leaves. Saute till the onion turns translucent. Add in garlic and saute for a while.

Add ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes off. Add hing and saute well.

Now add crushed berries and tomato. Cook it in medium flame, until the tomato mashes well.

Add turmeric and vathal kulambu powder. Saute in low flame till the raw smell goes off. Add tamarind water and salt. Cover and cook it in medium flame, till it boils and berries are cooked well.

Add coconut milk, give a good mix and allow to boil for a min.

Switch off the flame and add a tablespoon of oil, mix and cover the pot for few minutes or until you serve.

Serve hot with rice and enjoy!!

Velladai is nothing but a savoury pancake , which is rich in goodness of shallots and egg. Since it is white in colour (may be before frying), it got this name. It is a healthy and filling dish which is usually prepared for breakfast by most people in my hometown. It is very simple to prepare and does not need much planning as for dosa. It goes well with mutton or chicken curry.

Traditionally it is prepared with fresh coconut milk. But here i used ready made coconut milk , since it doesn’t differ in taste. You can use any type as you wish. And coarse rice powder yields good taste than fine powder. But you can go with fine powder, if you don’t find coarse one.

Do try this recipe and post your comments 🙂

Happy Cooking !!

INGREDIENTS:

250 grams Shallots, thinly sliced

6 Eggs

300ml Thick coconut milk

2 sprig Curry leaves. chopped

1½ cup Coarse Rice Powder

3 Green chillies, finely chopped

Salt, to taste

Ghee, for shallow fry

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take eggs in a wide bowl and beat in medium speed using a beater, for few minutes until light.

Then add in sliced shallots, curry leaves, coconut milk, rice powder, green chillies and salt, one by one. Gently give a good mix, until everything is mixed well.

Heat a tablespoon of ghee in Appam pan. Add 2 ladles of prepared batter and close the pan. Cook it in low-medium flame for few minutes or until the bottom side turned golden brown.

Now flip to another side and add a tablespoon of ghee. Continue cooking until it turns golden brown and it is cooked well inside.

Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot with any curry..

These potato cheese balls are crispy, with gooey melted cheese in the middle, easy to prepare and really addictive. They can also be made from leftover mashed potatoes but boiling the potatoes and using instantly makes the best taste.

These tasty mashed potato cheese balls will make a great side dish for Ifthar or family gatherings, and will make you look like a pro. So forget about the boring old snacks and serve these instead.

Try this tasty recipe and post your feedback in comments section..

INGREDIENTS:

3 Potatoes (Medium sized, boiled & mashed)

1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated

3 tablespoons Red chilly flakes

3 tablespoons Coriander leaves, chopped

3 tablespoons Carrot, grated

3 tablespoons Cornflour

Salt , required

½ cup All-purpose flour

½ cup Bread crumbs

1 Egg, beaten

Oil, for frying

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take boiled potatoes in a bowl and mash it using a fork. To the mashed potato, add red chilli flakes, salt, chopped coriander leaves, grated carrots, cornflour and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Using your hands, roll mixture into 1 inch balls. For above mentioned ingredients, you will get 10 to 12 balls.

Now take a ball, flatten it and place a tablespoon of grated cheese in the middle. Wrap and form into ball again.

Roll in flour, dip in egg and roll in breadcrumb mixture again, pressing if necessary to stick well. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture..

Heat the oil in a large, wide pot. Once the oil is hot enough, gently lower the balls into the oil and fry until golden all over. Do not over fry or the cheese will start to seep out. Continue frying in batches and set aside on paper towels to drain.

Serve with hot sauce and enjoy !!!

Stuffed masala buns are delicious Indian recipe served as a snack which tastes excellent when served with Tea/ Coffee. We can prepare the stuffing in numerous ways with either veggies or non-veg as base. Here i have come up with my style of veg bun, which i prepared for ifthar yesterday.. As i expected it was a huge hit.. Try this super delicious buns in your home and post your feedback..

INGREDIENTS:

1½ cups All purpose flour/ Maida

¾ tablespoons Active Dry Yeast

1 tablespoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Mixed Italian Herbs

Salt, required

3 tablespoons Olive oil

¾ cup Water (add more if needed)

¼ teaspoon Black sesame seeds

FOR STUFFING:

2 Potatoes

¼ cup Boiled Peas

1 Onion, chopped

½ teaspoon Ajwain (Omam)

1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic paste

½ Sprig Curry Leaves

1 teaspoon Red chilly powder

¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder

1 teaspoon Garam masala

1 teaspoon Chat masala

2 tablespoons Oil

Salt required

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add little water and mix until the yeast dissolves. Let it sit foe 5 min. It will froth and raise. Now the yeast is ready to use.

To the yeast, add maida, salt, italian herbs and olive oil. Start kneading by adding water little by little. Keep in a warm place covered with a cling wrapper for an hour. Meanwhile prepare the stuffing. 

Heat oil in pan. Add ajwain, onion and fry till it turns translucent. Then add in ginger-garlic paste and curry leaves. Saute till the raw smell goes off.

Then add in masala powder. In low flame, saute for few minutes.

Add boiled and mashed potatoes, peas and salt. Mix well and cook for few minutes. Once done, remove from fire and let it cool.

Roll the stuffing after cooling down completely. The stuffing balls should be around half the size of the buns.

By now, the dough we prepared would have doubled in size. Take the wrapper and give a gentle knead and pinch out into 6 equal sized balls using your fist.

Line a baking tray with butter paper, grease with olive oil and arrange the rolled balls with enough spacing between them. Brush with olive oil. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Now the rolled bun, would have raised again. Take each bun and make a dent in the middle.

Place the rolled stuffing inside and pinch all the ends towards the center to cover the stuffing. Roll into smooth bun. Repeat the same for every bun.

Arrange them in the lined baking tray. Keep the joined side facing down. Brush them well with olive oil. Let it sit again for 5 minutes. It would have raised a little again. Now spread over the sesame seeds on the top as shown in pic.

Preheat the oven for 190 C. Brush the buns generously with milk. Bake for 15 to 20 min or until the  top crust turns golden brown.

After baking, brush them again with butter and enjoy with tea/coffee as evening snack.

Parotta is nothing but layered all purpose flour flat bread, which is very famous in south india, Malaysia and Srilanka. But the preparation method may slightly differs in each region. We usually make parotta for Ramzan, Bakhrid and other festive occasions. Many people may find it harder to make it in home. But the right recipe and practice makes you the master in it. Though my mom used to make parotta regularly, i showed interest only in eating but not learning the recipe.. But after marriage, i learned this recipe from my mother-in-law, who often makes parotta. Today i served this spongy parotta with country chicken curry.. It also tastes excellent when served with salna or any non-veg curry..

Try this recipe and post your feedback..

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg Maida / All purpose flour

3 Eggs

¼ cup Milk

1 tablespoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Baking soda

Salt, required

½ cup Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a wide bowl, take eggs, sugar and milk. Beat it slightly using hand.

Then add in maida, salt and baking soda. Knead the flour by adding water little by little. Continue kneading until you get soft dough. It may takes upto 30 minutes.

Pinch out into equal sized balls with your fist. Take the balls  in a wide bowl and add 1/2 cup of oil to that. Mix well and allow the balls to soak in oil for atleast 4 to 5 hours.

Roll out each balls into thick chappathi size and apply oil over it.

In a clean, smooth surface like wooden table or marble stone, apply oil.. Now take one rolled dough, hold the lower part and throw the upper part on the smooth surface. Repeat the procedure for 4 to 5 times until you get very thin sheet.

Spread little oil on it and pleat lengthwise from one end to other.

Swirl the pleated dough around as a ball.. Cover it with wet cloth and allow it to rest for another one hour.

Heat a non-stick pan on medium flame. Take a rolled ball and flatten it using your palm. Place it on greased, hot pan and cook it until you get slightly golden brown on both sides. Before turning to other side, apply little oil.

Once done, beat the parotta like keep it in the center of your both palms and fastly compress from the sides. Do it when the parotta is still hot. It helps to release the air and makes the parotta very soft.

Serve hot with salna or curry.

Singapore Mei Fun is a nothing but a stir fried rice noodles with veggies and curry powder. It is a popular chinese take out menu in Singapore. I came to know this recipe from a cooking program in Asian Food Channel. Since it uses Indian curry powder and can be prepared in minutes with easily available ingredients, i noted it down in my diary to give a try.. To my surprise it turned out really delicious and it was a fairly quick and easy meal..

Do try this recipe and give me your feedback..

INGREDIENTS:

150g Dried Rice Noodles

6 to 8 whole Shrimp (peeled and deveined)

2 whole Eggs

2 Onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup Carrot, thinly sliced

¼ cup Cabbage, thinly shredded

¼ cup Green Capsicum, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon Curry powder

1 teaspoon White Pepper Powder

1½ tablespoons Soy sauce

1 teaspoon vinegar

2 teaspoons Sesame oil

Oil

Salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre-soak the noodles for about 20 to 30 min and then drain.

Heat oil in a pan and pour beaten eggs. Make a thin omelette and then shred it lengthwise after cooling down. Set aside.

Heat oil in the same pan and saute cleaned prawns for few minutes till it is cooked and raw smell goes off. Add sliced onion and carrots. Cook till they are slightly soften. Add cabbage and capsicum. Saute for few sec until they are soften.

Add Soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil. Mix till it coats well with all veggies. Now curry powder, pepper powder goes in. Mix well and cook in low flame till the raw smell goes off.

Add in soaked noodles and make a quick movement till all the contents coat well with it. Add shredded omelette and fry for another 30 sec.

Transfer to serving bowl and serve hot with sauce.

Notes:

Before adding noodles, make sure the raw smell of curry powder goes off..