Kitchen Corner-Try It

Pavakka Kichadi Today's recipe is kichadi which is a yogurt-based side dish served with rice. Kichadi is also an integral part of Onam and Vishu Sadhya. I have posted other versions of kichadi with beetroot and okra. Kichadi with pavakka/bitter gourd is tasty and easy to make.  Bitter gourd is a staple vegetable in Indian cuisine. Bitter gourd or bitter melon as the name suggests is bitter. But there are some dishes with bitter gourd that you should give a shot before you write off this bitter vegetable completely. And the best part of pavakka kichadi is that does not taste bitter. Thinly sliced bitter gourd is deep-fried in good flavorful coconut oil, till crispy and then mixed into spiced yogurt. The spiced sour yogurt and the bitter pavakka mix in and combine to construct a flavor profile that makes your taste buds happy! I have always loved this vegetable and I should thank my mom and her endless list of recipes with bitter gourd. She makes pavakka theeyal, puli...

Skillet Chile Cheese Cornbread Baking partners challenge for this month is corn bread. When Swathi asked me to make and share this recipe, I thought it is a wonderful idea as it can be part of Thanksgiving menu . This is a southern style skillet cheese corn bread with a spicy kick and flavor of  jalapenos. It turned out moist and flavorful. The recipe is adapted fromWeight Watchers Light and Easy Cookbook ,Oxmoor house,1997 and from 1001 Great Recipes from around the World , Culinary Arts Institute, New York, 1981. Ingredients Yellow Cornmeal- 1 1/2 cup All purpose flour- 1 cup Baking powder- 2 tsp Salt- 1/4 tsp Brown sugar- 2-3 tbs Egg-2 Vegetable oil-1/4 cup Carrot shredded- 1/3 cup (optional) Green chilly  or Jalapenos- 3 ounce (or according to spice tolerance) Corn - 1/2 cup ( or cream style corn 1/2 can) Butter milk- 1 cup Milk- 1/2 cup Shredded mild Cheddar cheese- 1 cup Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and set aside. Pre heat ...

Baking partners challenge for this month is corn bread. When Swathi asked me to make and share this recipe, I immediately agreed . Making corn bread has always been in my wish list. It is  perfect for holiday meal.The first time I saw this recipe was in Shakers frugal cook book. It had very little ingredients and easy to put together. It can be served as a snack or part of a meal. Try this, you will surely love it. Recipe source: Dorling Kindersley, Classic Home Cooking,London, 1995. Ingredients Fine yellow cornmeal- 1 1/2 cup All purpose flour- 1 cup Dark brown sugar- 1/4 cup Sugar- 1 tbs Molasses- 1/2 cup Baking powder- 2 tsp Salt- 1/2 tsp Milk- 1 1/4 cup Egg-2 Melted butter- 4tbs Vegetable oil- 2 tsp Cinnamon - a pinch (optional) Lightly butter cake pan and set aside.Pre heat oven to 400 degree F. Mix corn meal, flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking powder. In a separate bowl beat egg, melted butter,molasses, milk and oil till it is bu...

Fruits Varattiyathu Todays recipe is fruits varattiyathu/ fruit preserve  made in traditional Kerala style. Chakka varatti/jack fruit preserve is a popular in  Kerala which is made with fully ripe jack fruit bulbs. Along with chakka/jack fruit I have used pineapple, ripe plantain and ripe mango to make this fruits varattiyathu. It can be used as a jam or it can be served as halwa/dessert. You can also use this to make payasam, ila ada and steamed dumplings. Try this,you will surely love it Ingredients Ripe Jack fruit chopped- 15-18 bulbs Pineapple chopped- 1 cup Ripe plantain- 1 Mango medium sized- 1 Jaggery powdered- 2 1/2 cup Ghee- 1/3 cup Cardamon powder- 1 tsp Dry ginger powder- 1/2 tsp De-seed jack fruit bulbs and cut into small pieces. Chop the fruits and keep aside Boil jaggery with 2 cup of water till completely dissolved, strain and keep aside. Take a heavy bottom pan and cook the chopped fruits with one cup of water. When the fr...

Chemmeen Kadachakka Masala/ Prawns Breadfruit Masala Kadachakka/ sheemachakka/breadfruit is widely cooked in Kerala and there are several recipes with breadfruit as the star ingredient. Earlier I posted a sweet coconut stew made with breadfruit. This is a spicy delectable combo with prawns. You can serve this with rice, chapathi or pathiri. Ingredients Bread fruit cubed- 1 medium size Prawns- medium sized-1 cup Onion - 2 medium Ginger- 1 inch thick Tomato- 1 Green chilly-2 Chilly powder- 1 tsp Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp Thick coconut milk- 1/2 cup Curry leaves- a few Garam Masala or meat masala- 1/2 tsp Oil as needed and salt to taste To roast and grind  Coconut grated- 1/3 cup Pearl onion-2 slices Fenugreek seeds- a few Fennel seeds- 1/4 tsp Curry leaves- 1 spring Heat a pan and dry roast coconut, pearl onion sliced, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and curry leaves. Roast till it changes color to brown.Make this into ...

Ghee Mysore Pak Happy Diwali to all my friends and readers! May this festival of lights bring happiness and joy to all of you! Diwali invokes so many happy memories with family and friends-shopping, decorating your house, lighting diyas, evening firecrackers, and the most important the display of colorful sweets and mittais that captures your imagination. I spend my childhood in North India and Diwali was a festival that was taken very seriously with days of preparations. But moving back to Kerala I missed all the pomp and show associated with Diwali. But in recent years Diwali has attained importance and is celebrated like other Kerala festivals like Vishu, Onam, and Christmas. There is never a festive occasion or a celebration in India without sweets or mittais. Today's recipe is the South Indian favorite- Ghee Mysore pak. This famous sweet needs no introduction and is rightfully called the King of South Indian sweets. It is fragrant, rich, and exotic sweet with an addic...

Lahori Fish Fry Today's recipe is a a popular street food from Lahore. They have a rich diversity of tasty food. This a quick and easy fish fry which we can make at home. It can be served with rice or as an appetizer. This is skillet fried,but you can also batter dip and deep fry them to serve like pakoras. It is perfect for potluck parties. Ingredients Fish fillet of your choice- 1/2 kg (I used king fish) Gram flour- 2 tsp Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder- 1 tsp Dry red chilly- 2 Coriander seeds- 1 1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds- 1/ 4 tsp Ajwain seeds- 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp Chat Masala- 1/4 tsp Salt to taste and oil for frying  Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds,ajwain, fenugreek seeds and dry red chilly till there is a nice aroma. Crush this using a mortar and pestle or make it into a course powder using a mixture . Marinate the fish with this powder, kashmiri chilly powder,gram flour,turmeric powder, salt ...

Carrot Burfi Burfi is milk based confectionery that is available in wide range of flavors. Carrot burfi tastes like carrot halwa and can be sliced like a fudge. Try this sweet,you will surely love it. Ingredients Carrot grated- 3 cup Khoya- 250 grams Milk- 3 cup Sliced almond or cashew nuts-  to garnish Sugar- 3/4 cup Ghee- 3 tbs Cardamon- 1/2 tsp Heat ghee in a pan and roast the almonds or cashew nuts till golden brown. Remove from ghee and keep aside.  In the same pan add grated carrots and roast till there is a nice aroma for about two to three minutes. Add milk and cook till the carrot is soft and the milk thickens.Add grated khoya and mix with the carrots. Stir continuously to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook the mixture till it becomes thick and leaves the edges of the pan.  Add the cardamom powder, roasted nuts and mix well. Stir for two to minutes and remove from the stove. Grease a plate with ghee and transfer the conte...

Rajma/Kidney Beans Pulao  Pulao is simple one pot meal and I often make with vegetables or meat. This time I had some leftover kidney beans/rajma. Its delicious and aromatic combo of rice, spices, beans and vegetables. It is easy lunch box recipe. Ingredients Basmathi Rice- 1 1/2 cups Kidney beans- cooked- 1 cup Beans- 1/2 cup Onion- 1 Green chilly- 3 Ginger- 1 inch piece Garlic- 2 Turmeric- 1/2 tsp Garam masala- 1/8 tsp Chicken broth/ Vegetable broth- 1 cup Water- 2 1/2 cup Whole spices-Cinnamon- 1 inch  stick,Cardamon- 2,Cloves - 4 Lemon juice-  1 tsp Salt to taste Cashew nuts chopped- 5 Raisins- a few Oil 2 tsp Ghee- 1 tsp To cook rajma/kidney beans soak over night. Pressure cook (5-6 whistles) and keep aside. Chop beans, onion, ginger and garlic and set aside. Heat oil and ghee in a deep heavy bottom pan and add in the whole masalas, cashew nut and raisins . When it changes color  add onion,ginger- garlic and saute till the ...