Cucumber Khichdi

Ingredients

1. Cucumber - finely sliced (1/4 of a medium cucumber)
2. Green chilly - 2 no:(1 chopped, 1 sliced lengthwise)
3. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
4. Curd - 1cup
5. Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1/4  tspn
6. Water  - 1cup
7. Whole red chilly -1 no:
8. Mustard seeds - 1/4  tspn + 1/2 tspn
9. Oi/ - 1/2 tbspn
10. Curry leaves - 2 sprig
11. Salt - to taste

How to make

Cook the finely sliced cucumber ,chopped  green chillies and salt with water in a heavy bottom pan. 

Grind the grated coconut, sliced green chillies and cumin seeds to a fine paste. 

Add 1/2 tspn mustard seeds and grind again. 

When the cucumber is 3/4 th cooked, add the ground coconut paste and 1 sprig curry leaves to it and mix well. Cook for 3-4 mins.

Now add curd, mix well and cook in low flame for 3 more minutes. 

Add more salt if required. Don't let it boil after adding curd. Remove from flame and keep aside.Tamper whole red chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves in oil and add it to the khichdi.

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Parippu Curry

Ingredients

1. Moong dal (Cheruparippu)- around 1 cup
2. Grated coconut - ⅓ - ½ cup
3. Jeera - ½ tspn
4. Garlic - 5 pods
5. Turmeric powde
6. Red chilly powder - ¼ tspn
7. Ghee/coconut oil - 2-3 tspn
8. Water - 2 cups
9. Curry leaves
10. Salt

How to make

Take moong dal in a heavy bottomed pan.

Roast it without oil.

Coarse grind it in a mixer(do not powder the dal). The dal should just be broken(1 or 2 pulse in the mixer will do).

Seave the ground dal so that the skin gets separated.

Wash it twice in water.

Add required amount of water and pressure cook the dal for 6-7 whistles. 

Once the dal is done.Mash it well.

Grind together coconut, jeera and garlic pods with 1/4 cup of water to a smooth paste.

Add ground paste, salt and ½ - 1 cup water to the mashed dal and let it boil. 

Add curry leave and 1/4 tsp red chilly powder and boil it for 2-3 mins remove from heat.

Serve with rice and pappad. For an extra taste , add 1/4 tspn ghee on the curry.

Note: 
1. If you want you can,  Heat oil in a pan,add whole red chilly, splutter mustard seeds and sauté curry leaves and add it to the parippu curry.

Also, instead of using the whole moong dal, you will get skinless moong dal in the market. If you are using that , you can avoid the seaving step. 

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Beans Thoran

Ingredients

1. Beans - 2 cups (chopped)
2. Grated coconut - ½ cup
3. Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
4. Jeera (cumin) - 1/4 tspn
5. Salt
6. Whole red chilly - 1 No:
7. Mustard - 1/4 tsp
8. Curry leaves
9. Coconut oil
10. Water - 1/4 cup

How to make

Clean and chop the bean finely as shown in the picture.

Heat oil in a kadai and add whole red chilly, splutter mustard seeds and saute curry leaves.

Add the chopped beans and saute well in medium flame for 5 seconds and add a 1/4 cup of water.Close the lid and cook in low flame. Make sure you stir it once in between so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

While the beans are cooking , coarsely grind grated coconut along with cumin seeds, turmeric powder and chilly powder. Do not add water while grinding.

When the beans are cooked, add required amount of salt and the grated coconut.

Cover the lid and cook for about 3 mins, so that the raw smell of the masala leaves.Saute well.

Serve hot with Kerala rice.

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Banana Fritters / Ethakkapam / Pazham Pori

Ingredients

1. Ripe Banana - 3/4 No:s 
2. Corn flour/Atta/Maida(Plain flour) - 1 cup
3. Sugar - 1/2 tspn
4. Salt - 1/2 tspn
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
6. Oil - to deep fry
7. Water - Around 1 cup

How to make

Peel and slice the bananas lengthwise.

Take corn flour (or which ever flour you wish to use), turmeric powder, salt ,sugar in a bowl.

Mix well by adding water to make a fine paste. Make sure no lumps are formed.

Coat the sliced bananas with the

flour paste completely.



Heat oil in a bottom heavy pan. Make sure the oil is really hot before adding the bananas.

Deep fry the bananas till golden brown.

 

Remove the fritters from the pan and place it over a kitchen towel to drain the excess oil and serve hot. 

All lined up :) 

Now enjoy your nadan evening snack with a hot cup of tea !!!

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Masala Dosa

Ingredients

1. Potato - 1 No:(boiled and mashed)
2. Carrot - 1 small(thinly sliced)
3. Onion - 1 small(sliced)
4. Green chilly - medium size (sliced)
5. Chilly powder - 1/2tsp
6. Turmeric powder : 1/2tsp
7. Salt - to taste
8. Whole red chilly - 1 No:
9. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
10. Mustard seeds
11. Oil - 1 tbsp
12. Ghee
13. Dosa batter

How to make

Masala:

Wash and cook the potatoes in a heavy bottom pan for about 40 mins (or you can and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles).  After it cools, peel the skin and mash it well. Keep it aside. Meanwhile cook the carrot by adding salt and keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add whole red chilli, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.

Now add the sliced onion and saute well.

When the onion becomes translucent, add the green chilly and again sauté for about 2 mins.

Now  add the cooked carrots, turmeric powder and chilly powder and mix well .

 Now add the mashed potatoes and required amount of salt and mix well.

The masala is ready. Keep it aside.

Masala Dosa:

Heat a non-stick tawa. Bring the flame to medium and pour a ladle of batter in the center. Using the back of the ladle; spread the dosa batter in a circular motion. Make sure that your dosa is not thick. 

Drizzle a tsp of ghee over the dosa and close it with a lid. If you are not closing with a lid, make sure that you cook both sides of the dosa.

When the dosa is cooked, reduce the heat and add 2 tbspn of the prepared potato masala at the center.

Fold the dosa and keep it in the tawa for 3-4 seconds more. 

Remove from tawa and serve it with chutney and raita.

Note: My family likes the dosa cooked on both sides as a normal dosa, so I usually dont close it with a lid. Instead I cook both sides of the dosa by flipping it over. 

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