Pineapple Achar/Pickle

Pineapple Achar/Pickle

If you love sweet and spicy pickles like grapes and dates,then you are surely going to love this pickle. It is a sweet and spiced pineapple pickle/preserve. It is a tart,sweet and savory combo that will complement any meal. This is my mother-in law's recipe .Hubby like me is  fan of anything  made with pineapples. It is delicious and the flavor and taste is irresistible. If you wish to retain the color of pineapples  you can use crushed dry red chilly or green chilly instead of chilly powder.Try this,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Pineapple chopped- 2 cups
Garlic- 6-8 cloves
Green Chilly- 3-4(optional)
Curry leaves a few
Mustard- 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder- 2 tsp
(adjust according to your taste)
Fenugreek powder- 1/2 tsp
Asofetida-1/3 tsp
Salt as needed
Sugar- 3 tsp
Vinegar- 2 tsp

Cut pineapple into small pieces. Mix with sugar and salt and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
Strain out the liquid into a separate bowl. Bring this to a boil and add vinegar. Allow this to cool.
In a pan heat oil ( 3-4 tbs) and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add sliced garlic curry leaves and green chilly and saute till the raw flavor disappears. Reduce the flame and add the dry powders and mix. Add the pineapple and pineapple vinegar liquid. Mix well and allow to cool and transfer into air tight jar.

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Hope you will all enjoy

Muringakka/ Drumstick Curry

Muringakka/ Drumstick Curry

Today's recipe is a charu curry and is served over rice. This is a vegetarian favorite a simple and flavorful curry. The curry base is ground coconut and the flavor is from drumstick,curry leaves and fennel. You can also add prawns or small fish like anchovies and smelt and convert this dish into  non-vegetarian. Try this simple dish,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
Drumsticks- 15-20 pieces
Onion- small finely chopped
Ginger- 1 inch thick
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder- 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder- 1  tsp
Fennel seeds- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- a few
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/3 tsp
Dry red chilly-2
Salt to taste

Make a fine paste of coconut and fennel seeds and keep aside.
Scrap the skin of drumstick or very  gently peel it off and cut into 2 1/2 to 3 inch pieces.
Heat oil in a pan and add chopped ginger and onion and saute till it changes color to golden brown. Add turmeric, chilly and coriander powder and saute for a minute followed by drumsticks, salt and 1/2 cup of water. When it is cooked and soft add the ground paste and mix well. Simmer for two minutes.
Heat two tsp of coconut oil and add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and when they splutter add dry red chilly and curry leaves. Saute till it gets crispy and add over the curry and mix well..Serve with rice.

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy.

Stuffed Pomfret With Green Masala- A Guest Post at Cooking-Varieties

I am extremely delighted and honored to be a guest at Wan's Cooking Varieties. When she asked me for a guest post I was so excited.She is one of my favorite foodie friends .She is very warm and friendly person and I love her blog. There is always a healthy edge in her cooking which is really inspiring.It has beautiful write-ups about food, health benefits and healthy eating habits.She has always shown genuine appreciation for other culture and culinary traditions. I am honored to be in your esteemed space.

Thanks Wan for this opportunity.

Recipe is  pomfret stuffed with a green masala and prawns filling...Hop over to Wan's place for the recipe..

Wan sent me this card with beautiful bouquet of roses,this made my day  :)
so sweet of you Wan..really appreciate this:)

Once again thanks Wan for this opportunity
Hope you will all enjoy..
Have a great day!

Suja

Aval Payasam and Happy Vishu

Aval Payasam

Happy Vishu!

Wishing all my friends and readers a very happy and prosperous Vishu!

Today's recipe is an irresistible payasam.. sweet and delicious. It is made with aval/poha/beaten rice and milk and sugar.You can use  jaggery instead of sugar.But I love aval pal payasam and it is quick recipe which can be made in a jiffy.I used the thick variety of white aval/poha.  This recipe will serve 4-5 people.

Ingredients
Aval/poha/beaten rice- 1 1/2 cup
Milk- 3 1/2 cups
Condensed milk- 1 cup
Sugar- 3 tbs
(adjust according to sweetness)
Crushed cardamon- 5-6
Raisins and cashew nuts- a few
Ghee- 2 tbs

Heat 2 tbs of ghee in a heavy pot vessel and add cashew nut and fry for a minute followed by raisins.Saute till they change color drain and set aside.
Now to the same pan add aval and fry in medium flame till it slightly changes color and becomes crispy.
Into this add warm milk and cook till the aval becomes soft. Stir occasionally. This ill take around 4-5 minutes.
Add sugar,condensed milk and simmer till it attains desired consistency.
Add crushed cardamon and stir well and finally add the ghee fried cashew nuts and raisins. Payasam is ready

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy

Mathanga/Pumpkin Thoran

Mathanga/Pumpkin Thoran

Pumpkin stir fried with a spicy coconut mixture  is a delicious side dish for rice. Pumpkin is a very versatile vegetable. It has a special place in Kerala cooking  and we have lots of recipes with it. Every part is used,the flesh,outer skin,leaves and flowers .Thoran with mathanga/pumpkin is very quick and the only thing that you should be careful is that it should be soft but not overcooked. It is a comfort food and you will love it.

Ingredients
Pumpkin chopped into small cubes-3 cups
Grated coconut- 3/4 cup
Pearl onions- 5-6
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Garlic pods- 2

Chilly flakes- 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- a few
Coconut oil- 1 tbs
salt to taste

Cut pumpkin into small size cubes and keep aside.
Blend coconut, a pinch of turmeric,cumin and garlic into a course mixture.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when they splutter add a pinch of cumin seeds,urad dal and saute till the urad dal changes color.
Next add curry leaves and the chilly flakes and saute for a few seconds.
Add  sliced pearl onion and saute till it slightly changes color.
Next add the chopped pumpkin, salt and give it a good toss. Sprinkle a little of water cover and cook.
Check in between and sprinkle little more water if necessary and cook till it is soft and cooked but still retaining its shape.
Add in the crushed coconut mixture and stir fry for about two minutes till all the moisture evaporates and it is dry. Serve this with rice and moru curry,rasam or sambar.

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen at Ramya's Recipe

Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy..

Beetroot Kesari

 Beetroot Kesari

Today's recipe is beetroot halwa. It is special day as my blog baby has turned two.I can't believe that it is two years,but I am happy and so glad to be here and have made lot of good friends.I had this sweet recipe and having decided to post it as blog anniversary special,I just looked back to day one and my first post.What a coincidence! my first blog post was beetroot halwa :)

So you might have guessed how much I love this veggie. I adore its color,sweetness and earthy flavor. Add this to any dish it will give it a new look and in dessert a unique taste and aroma. I love beetroot halwa and rava kesari and this recipe is a blend of the two. Try this,you will surely love it.

Ingredients

Beetroot grated- 1 cup
Rava or Sooji- 1 cup
Sugar-2 cup
Water- 1 1/2 cups
Ghee- 1/2 cup
Cardamon-6-8
Rose essence- a few drops
Cashew nuts a few

Peel the outer skin and grate beetroot finely and keep aside.
In a heavy bottom pan heat two tsp of ghee and fry cashews and keep aside.
Roast rava till it starts changing color to golden and when a nice aroma comes. Keep this aside.
Add two tsp of ghee in the pan add grated beetroot and saute for about four to five minutes till the beetroot gets cooked and its raw flavor disappears. 
Bring water to boil and add into the fried beetroot. Allow this to come to a boil.Now add rava/sooji spreading out evenly. Mix well to avoid lumps and close lid just for a minute so that the rava gets cooked.Remove lid and  continuously stir till water evaporates and add sugar ,cardamon powder and the rest of the ghee. The mixture at this stage will become watery. Continue mixing and stir till it the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan like a halwa .Garnish with cashew nuts and sprinkle rose essence on top.Grease plate with ghee and spread the mixture and let it get set and cool down and cut into desired shapes.

Happy Easter to all my friends and readers.

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy

Chilli Chicken

Chilli Chicken

Chilli chicken is the most popular Indo-Chinese recipe and perhaps the easiest.No one needs any introduction to this popular dish. I am in love with spicy chilli chicken dry version, with lots of chilly.Fried rice and chilli chicken is my favorite combo. You might think I am crazy after reading this recipe:) I have added green chilli,dry red chilli, chilli flakes, chilli sauce and chilli oil. It is not fiery hot but it has the intense flavor of chillies which I love. I have added chili oil which is not spicy but has the flavor and the pretty color of dry red chilli. It is optional. It is readily available in market or you can make it at home.

Ingredients
Boneless chicken- 1 lb
Egg- 1(optional)
Corn starch- 2 tbs
Pepper powder- 1/3 tsp
Salt a pinch
oil for frying

Onion-1 cut into cubes
Garlic - finely minced -2 tbs
Bell pepper- 1 cut into cubes
Dry red chilli-3
Green chilli-4
Chilli flakes- 1/3 tsp (optional)
Soya sauce-2 tbs
Chilli sauce - 1 1/2 tsp
Chilli oil- 2 tsp (optional)
Sugar- 1/3 tsp
Spring onions for garnish

Chilli Oil

Cut chicken into small uniform pieces. You can cut it into uniform cubes. Personally I like the slant cuts because it is easy to cook and makes it nice and crispy.
Mix into the chicken, one egg, corn starch, pepper powder and a pinch of salt. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Heat 3/4 cup of oil in a pan and deep fry the chicken pieces till crisp and golden brown.
Drain out from the oil and keep aside.
In another pan pour  a little oil and fry minced garlic and dry red chilli. Saute till there is a nice aroma. Add the onions and after a minute add bell pepper and green chilly. Saute in medium high flame for about a minute and add the fried chicken and chilly flakes. Toss all together. In a small bowl mix in soya sauce, chilly sauce,chilly oil and sugar and pour this over the chicken and give it a good toss. Allow the liquid to get well coated and absorbed and garnish with spring onions. Serve warm.

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy.