Raw/ Green Papaya Curry

Though there are many varieties of curries you can prepare in Raw Papaya in Kerala Cuisine, but this variety is one of our favorite. This is somewhat like Aviyal recipe. Generally in Aviyal, gravy is cooked in curd with boiled vegetables but here gravy is cooked first to remove the raw smell of onion then adding the curd & boiled raw papaya to the curry. Its rich flavor makes it suitable to be served with any Indian food like Chapati, Roti, Rice and even with Adai.

Papaya has many health benefits like it improves digestion, eye health, protects from cancer, it regulates the women’s menstruation, even it helps in diabetes and more importantly it helps to weight loss. Eating papaya regularly in our diet gives an amazing health benefits.

Ingredients:

Raw Papaya - 2 cups (chopped)

Beaten sour Curd - 1 cup

Rice Flour - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

>For Grinding:

Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Dry Red Chilies - 3 to 4 nos. (As per taste)

Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp

Medium size Onion - 1 no.

>For Seasoning:

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

Dry Red Chili Peppers - 1 No.

Curry Leaves - 4 to 5

Step 01) Cut the papaya in to half and remove the seeds and inner layer skin and scrap away the outer skin nicely and then chop them in to 1" lengthwise 

Step 02) Cook them in a microwave safe bowl for about 10 mins. (This saves the cooking time) and drain the water for later use

 

Step 03) Blend the red chili pepper, jeera/cumin seeds, coconut and onion into fine paste using little water (for grinding use 1/2 cup of drained water of cooked papaya)

 

Step 04) Heat a pan add coconut oil for seasoning (this gives Kerala cuisine style authentic taste) or use vegetable oil add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter followed by red chili and curry leaves and fry for a minute. Add the blended gravy mixture and cook till raw smell of onion disappear 

Step 05) Add the cooked papaya and mix it well

Step 06) Add the whisked curd (use sour curd for better taste)

 

Step 07) Take a small bowl add tbsp of rice flour and 1/4 cup of drained water mix it without lumps and add it on curry and mix well (This gives the thick consistency to the curry)

 

Serving: Serve with Chapati or Rice. It goes nice with Adai too :)

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Tomato Pachadi

 

One more simple and easy recipe to ease your busy morning. This tomato pachadi is of south Indian style mostly use it as a side dish. It goes very well with onion paratha, plain roti, chapati and even you can mix it with plain rice it tastes amazing.

In Tamil language the word "Pachai" means green or raw and "adi" means pound. Broadly translated, it refers to food which has been pounded.


Ingredients:
Tomato (chopped)- 1 big no.
Green Chili (chopped) - 1 no.
Fresh Coriander Leaves chopped - 1/4 cup
Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
Salt  to taste
Curd - 1 cup

> For Grinding:
Coconut grated - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

> For Seasoning:
Mustard Seeds - 1tsp
Whole Red chili - 1 no.
Asafoetida / Hing - 1 pinch
Curry leaves - 3 to 4
Coconut oil/ Vegetable oil - 2 tsp

Time Required: 15 mins.

Directions:

Step 01) Grind  the grated coconut and mustard seeds  in to fine paste

 

2. In a bowl add the above paste, chopped tomato, green chilies, fresh coriander leaves, red chili powder and salt mix it well. Then add the curd  and mix  it nicely

 

3. Heat oil in a pan in medium flame (use coconut oil to bring out the authentic taste of south India) add whole red chili, mustard seeds, Asafoetida /hing and curry leaves. Add this seasoning to tomato pachadi. 

Serve: Serve with chapati, onion paratha, roti, or even it goes very well with plain rice.

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Restaurant Style Fried Rice

Is your family is fan of restaurant fried rice? Now, no need to take out after you try this one!  It's a quick and easy way to use left over rice and you really can make fried-rice with whatever you have on hand. Keep ingredients all chopped and ready to go and then just had to stir-fry everything. DH loved this & asked me to make again with egg in it :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Uncooked Rice
• Spring onion - 1 bunch
• String Beans - 10 to 15 no.
• Carrot - 1 no. 
• Capsicum - 1 no.
• Green Chilies - 2 to 3 nos.
• Garlic  - 2 flakes crushed/chopped

> Other Spices:

• Salt to taste
• Black Pepper Powder - 2 tsp
• Chili Sauce - 1 tsp
• Soya Sauce - 2 tbsp
• Vinegar - 1 tsp (Optional)
• Sesame seeds Oil - 2 tbsp

Cutting Method of vegetables:
The Chinese style of cutting vegetable is based on the principle of exposing maximum surface area so that food gets cooked quickly, retaining the natural flavor and color.

How to Boil Rice:
1. Clean, wash 1 cup of rice. Soak for 10 minutes
2. Boil 4 cups of water with 2 tsp of salt. Add rice
3. Cook, uncovered, over medium flame, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender but not over cooked
4. Drain out the water from the rice and let it stand in the strainer until absolutely cold. Then transfer the rice into big plate for 20 mins.

Method:
Step 01) Heat a oil in a big pan in medium flame splutter green chilies, garlic. Stir fry spring onions, leaving the green part

 

Step 02) Add string beans, then carrots, stir fry for about 3 to 4 mins. Add capsicum and stir fry for 2 more mins.

 

Step 03) Add salt, black pepper powder then add rice. Add soya sauce, vinegar and chili sauce and mix well.

 

Step 04) Add the green onions and stir fry the rice for 3 more minutes and serve hot.

 

Serve with extra soya sauce :)

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Mor kuzhambu

Feeling lazy to cook for the day? Try this simple kuzhambu recipe then. Kuzhambu is Tamil cuisine. It is a side dish to steam rice and popular in southern part of India. Mostly Kuzhambu is prepared using different type of lentils/dals , selection of vegetables and tamarind juice and spices.  This one done using base ingredient as curd /mor and suitable vegetables for this recipe are white pumpkin, Lady Finger/Bendi, Arbi/Sepankizhangu/ Taro Root, chow chow /chayote or tomato. It is very quick to prepare compromising taste. It could ease your busy morning routine.

If I try to translate the recipe name in English Mor Kuzhambu = Curd Stew

Ingredients:

• Sour Curd - 3 cups
• Besan/ Kadalai Mav / Chickpea Flour- 1 tbsp
• Tomato - 1 no.
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

>For Grinding

• Grated Cocounut - 1/4 cup
• Green Chilies - 3 to 4 nos. (as per taste)
• Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp
• Ginger - 1" piece

>For Seasoning

• Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Time Required: 20 mins.

Method:

Step 01. Whisk the  curd nicely (use sour curd for better taste)

Step 02. Add besan and mix well without lumps

 

Step 03. Blend the green chilies, cumin seeds, grated coconut and ginger piece into fine paste using little water

 

Step 04. Add diced tomato, turmeric powder, salt and grounded paste into curd and mix well

 

Step 05. Heat a pan in a low flame cook them for 3 mins. or like when it starts to raise. Switch off the flame when it is about to boil.

 

Step 06. Temper with mustard seeds and garnish with curry leaves. Simple yet yummy tasty  most satisfying comfort mor kuzhambu  is ready for lunch box.

Serving: Serve with any curry and papad. The perfect combination will be Eggplant/ Brinjal Curry, Beans Usili and Potato curry but this time  I tried with sundal it was nice too :)

Tips:
01. Vegetables other than tomato boil them first and then add it to curd mixture and for  bendi/lady finger fry them nicely then add
02. Always cook in low flame do not boil the curd

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Raw Green Mango Rice / Kairi Bhat

As you all know, sour unripe mangoes are used in chutneys, pickles and even you can eat raw mango with salt & chili powder. Here is my version of Raw Mango Rice. Enjoy this  yummy spicy taste.

Ingredients:

• Kacha Kairee/Unripe green Mango -- One grated
• 2 cup rice cooked
• Mustard seeds- 2 tsp
• Urad dal / White Lentils - 3 tsp (grown in Indian subcontinent- Available in Indian Store)
• Turmeric/Haldi powder
• Salt for taste
• Hing/ Asafetida
• Oil
• Curry Leaves
• Peanuts for garnish (optional)
• Fresh Coriander Leaves for garnishing

For Grinding

• Coconut -1/2 cup grated
• Green Chilies - 4 to 5 ( according to your taste)
• Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 2 to 3 tsp
• Ginger - 1" piece

Time Required: 15 mins

Method:

1.Grate the raw mango and keep it aside.
2.Blend the grinding ingredients and keep it aside
3.Heat the oil in a pan put the mustard seeds and urad dal and allow to splutter.
4.Add the grated raw mango, turmeric powder, hing & salt and saute on a medium flame for about two minutes.
5.Mix the blended paste and saute till light brown and aromatic.
6.Add the cooked rice and mix well.
7.Garnish with coriander leaves and curry leaves & with roasted peanuts (optional)
8.Serve hot.

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Khandeshi Khichdi

This is one of the simple and quick dinner recipe when ever you are back from office late or in hurry time.

In the language of Marathi "Khanda" means Onion and "khichdi" means mixture. In this recipe rice is cooked in the mixture of lentils, onion, tomato and spices.

Ingredients :

• 1 cup Rice
• ½ cupMoong Dal / Green Gram Split
• 2 cups Water (apprx. 1. times the quantity of rice and 2 times the quantity of dal)
• 1 Onion - finely chopped
• 1 Tomato - finely chopped
• 4-5 flakes Garlic (chopped)
• 1 tsp Jeera/ Cumin seeds 
• 1 tsp Haldi  /Turmericpowder
• 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder (Mixture of many Indian spices - available in Indian Store)
• ½ tsp Red Chili powder
• Salt to taste 

Time Required: 30 mins

Method:

1) Wash rice and moong dal, drain and keep aside.
2) Heat oil in pressure cooker pan, add  seeds, allow to splutter, then add garlic and onion. Fry till onion turns pink.
3) Add tomato, once tomato starts leaving oil add turmeric, garam masala and red chili powder.
4) Now add water (apprx. 1. times the quantity of rice and 2 times the quantity of dal/lentil) and then add salt.
5) Once the water starts boiling add rice and dal.
6) Cover and pressure cook (3 whistles) the khichadi. Smear some ghee.

Serving: Serve hot with roasted papad & onion tomato Raita

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How to cook Rice in Microwave

Don't worry if you don't have the rice cooker, you can cook the rice in microwave too. Follow the steps.

Ingredients:

• Rice 1 cup 
• Microwave bowl with covering lid 
• A microwave:) 
• Water  

Step by Step Method:

Step 01: 
Measure 1 cup of rice

Step 02:

Nicely rinse rice with water.

 Step 03: 

Drain the water.

                                  

Step 04:

Add 2 cups of water i.e. 1:2 is the ratio. If you like the rice more fluffy then add 1/2 cup of water more i.e. 2 1/2 cups of water.

Step 05:
Keep the rice bowl inside the microwave and set the microwave for 15 mins. Make sure you cover the bowl with plate. Failing to cover the bowl will lead to dried the rice on top.

                                         
Step 06:
After 15 mins. leave it covered for minimum of 5 -6 minutes. Remaining heat will cook the rice to completion. Rice will comes out well-cooked and fluffy.

Serve the rice with your favorite dish.

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Pumpkin kootu / Pumpkin Curry

Check out some other Pumpkin recipes which i tried:

Pumpkin kootu / Pumpkin Curry

Pumpkin Spicy Curry

Poosanikai/ Kaddu/ Pumpkin Masala Sabzi 

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Pumpkin curry in Rajasthani Style

Pumpkin Masala Sabzi

Pumpkin Beans/Mixed Pulses Sabzi

Ingredients:
1 (Medium Piece) Pumpkin cut into small cubes
1/2 cup channa dal / kadala paruppu/ Bengal gram

For Gravy:
1/2 cup grated coconut
A pinch of turmeric
1 tsp jeera /cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chili powder/ 2 to 3 whole Red chili
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal / White Lentils (optional) (grown in Indian subcontinent- Available in Indian Store)

A pinch of hing / asafoetida
Curry leaves few

Method:

1.Wash the Bengal gram and add to the chopped pumpkin pieces and add 3 cups water and cook on a low flame until the pumpkin is cooked soft and the Bengal gram is cooked yet firm. Add salt and turmeric.
2.Grind the above ingredients and add to the cooked pumpkin mixture. Mix well and simmer until all extra water is absorbed and the mixture takes a thick consistency.
3.Heat oil for seasoning once the mustard seeds pop add the urad dal turns brown, dunk everything into the kootu mixture and mix well. Adjust salt if any.

Serving: Serve hot with rice.

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Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

• Vegetables (cut them little longer size)
• Potato Medium  - 2 nos
• Fresh Green String Beans - 10 to 12 nos
• Cauliflower - 15 to 20 florets
• Carrot - 2 medium
• Green Peas - 1 cup
• Onion medium - 2 nos. (Sliced)

For saute Fry

• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Green Chili- 2 nos.
• Souf/Fennel Seeds - 2 tsp
• Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1tsp
• Cloves- 3 to 4 nos.
• Cardamom - 3 nos.

Masala Powder

• Biryani Masala - 2 tsp (Available in Indian Store)
• Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
• Cinnaman Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chili Powder - 1 tsp
• Haldi/Turmeric  Powder - 1 tsp

Gravy Ingredients

• Saffron soaked in water
• Curd - 1 cup
• Salt to taste

Method:

1) In a pot take 3 cups of water, add salt, 3 cardamom, 3 cloves and 1 bay leaf bring them to boil and then add soaked rice(1 to 1/2 hr soak the rice) and cook 75% and strain the rice

2)  In a medium flame heat a pan add 2 tsp of oil fry the onions and keep it aside
3)  In same pan add 2 tsp of oil saute ginger garlic paste, add vegetables, salt, and all above masala powders mix well and cook till half cooked

4) Take big pan spread 2 tsp of oil/ghee, spread half cooked vegetables all over the pan, then add some curd, salt, fried onions, add half cooked rice, sprinkle the saffron water repeat the same process again.

5) Take a big pan fill 1/4 of water then keep your filled biryani pan with closed lid and cook it for 10 mins in a very slow flame or you can set them in oven bowl pre heat the oven for 350 degree for10 mins and cook them for 5 to 7 mins.

6) Serve hot with onion tomato raita or with cucumber raita ( Raita is an Indian side dish of yogurt containing chopped cucumber or other vegetables and spices.

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