Sweet Potato Puzhungiyathu with Thenga and Mulaku Chammanthi

 

 

 

  Have you guys tasted sweet potato before? I never knew these light orange colored starchy sweeties were this tasty, until I ate them recently. I used to buy them from the stores thinking that I will use them to make different cakes, scones and other baked goods but it never ever made it into my oven as I could never imagine tasting a cake or any other bake with sweet potatoes! Poor sweet potatoes, every time I look at them they would have grown older and older and would end up sprouting, making its way to the trash :-(. But something changed after I had this sweet potato puzhungiyathu and thenga chammanthi at my friend Manju’s place. I really loved the sweet and spicy combination and the next day itself I went for shopping these beauties and prepared the same.  My hubby too liked it and you know what, its one of our regular evening snacks these days. These chutneys goes really well with kappa puzhungiyathu/ kappa puzhukku also and they tastes best only when fresh. Sweet potato is one of the most nutritious vegetables around with loads of antioxidants. That gives you one more reason to try this recipe. Check out its health benefits here.Try and enjoy!!

 

Sweet Potato Puzhungiyathu

 

 

Wash and trim both the ends of the sweet potato and cut them into two. Steam them in an idli maker or in a rice cooker. It would not take more than 15 - 20 minutes. Peel off the skin. Serve hot or warm with thenga or mulaku chammanthi.

 

 

 

Thenga Chammanthi

1. Coconut - 1/4 - 1/2 cup
2. Pearl onion - 2
3. Green chillies or kanthari mulaku (birds eye chilli) - 2 - 3
4. Curry leaves - 2 - 3
5. Salt - To taste

Coarsely grind all the above ingredients in a mixer.

Mulaku Chammanthi

1. Pearl onion - 5 - 6
2. Green chillies or kanthari mulaku - 5 - 6 , seeded ( I usually seed the green chillies. The hottest part of a chilli is the white membrane that connects the seeds to the flesh. Removing the seeds and membrane before cooking gives a milder flavour.)
3. Curry leaves - 2
4. Coconut oil - 2 tsp
5. Salt - To taste

Crush all the ingredients except coconut oil and salt in a mortar and pestle or a mixer. Traditionally it is crushed in a mortar and pestle. If you are using a mixer, add green chillies first. Give it a pulse and then add the pearl onions and curry leaves. Pulse it again, do not grind the mixture, just crush it. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Add enough salt and coconut oil. It tastes best only when fresh.

 

Pappada Boli/Vada

 

Ingredients

1. Idli rice - 1/2 cup (Soak it in water for around 15 mts and grind to a smooth batter along with dry red chillies.)
2. Dry red chillies - 6-7
3. Besan/ Chickpea flour/ Kadala mavu - 3 tsp
4. Black sesame seeds - 1 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
6. Salt - A pinch or to taste
7. Water - To make a thick batter
8. Pappad - 15- 20

9. Oil - For deep-frying
 
Method

1. Grind the idli rice and the dry red chillies to a smooth batter adding enough water. Add the cumin seeds, black sesame seeds,  salt and kadalamavu. Mix well. Add more water if required.

2. Dip the pappads in this batter and deep fry in oil one at a time until golden brown turning them over, in between.

Oats Hearts

 

Ingredients

 

1. Oats - 1/2 cup (I used Quaker quick oats)
2. Potato - 2 medium, cooked and mashed
3. Grated carrot - 3 tbsp
4. Grated beetroot - 2 tbsp
5. Ginger - 1 tsp, cut length wise
6. green chillies - 4, cut length wise
7. Cilantro - 1.5 tbsp
8. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
9. Oil  - To shallow fry

10. Salt - to taste
 
Method 

1. Mix the grated carrot, grated beetroot, mashed potato, oats, ginger, chillies, cilantro, curry leaves, and salt. Make a dough.

2. Now make small heart shapes out of it.

 

3. Shallow fry them in low heat. Serve hot with ketchup.

 

Recipe Courtesy - Asianet TV Show (Quaker Oats Healthy Hearts)

Achappam/Rose Cookies

Achappam is a popular snack in Kerala which is crunchy and mildly sweet. It is made using a special achu or a round mould which is flower shaped. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

1. Raw Rice flour/Pacha aripodi - 2 cups
2. Eggs - 2
3. Coconut milk -  1 - 1.5 cup (half can) or as required
4. Sugar - 1/4 cup or to taste
5. Black sesame seeds - 1 tbsp or as required
6. Salt - A pinch
7. Oil - For deep-frying

Method

1. Mix the rice flour, beaten egg, coconut milk, sugar, black sesame seeds and salt. Consistency  should be similar to that of dosa batter. Keep the batter aside for half an hour.

2. Heat oil in a deep pan. Dip the mould in hot oil for a minute or until it is hot. Now dip about 3/4th of the mould in the batter and then dip it in the hot oil. Shake the mould slightly after about 20 seconds or when they are semi cooked, so that the achappam will separate easily from the mould. Fry both sides until golden brown and drain onto a paper towel. Remember to dip the mould in hot oil each time before dipping it in the batter, otherwise the achappam would not separate from its mould. Repeat until the batter is finished. Store in an airtight container when they are cooled completely.  Enjoy!!

 

Sweet Kozhukkatta(Rice Dumplings) and Nadan Kozhukatta

    Kozhukkatta is a popular Indian sweet. There are different kinds of kozhukatta like kozhukatta filled with jaggery and coconut, jack fruit kozhukatta, nadan kozhukatta made with rose matta rice etc. Lakshmi had planned to post this yummy jaggery-coconut filled kozhukatta recipe yesterday. I then thought of my of mother’s nadan kozhukatta which I loved and took her recipe yesterday to share with you all. The nadan kozhukatta requires no sweet filling, it is tasty as it is (though its not as tasty as the sweet jaggery filled kozhukatta. I soaked the rice yesterday night and prepared it an hour back. Here are the recipes: 

Ingredients

1. Rice flour - 1 cup (You can use puttu podi or idiyappam podi)
2. Grated coconut - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
3. Jaggery - 1/4 cup or sugar (2-3 tbsp or to taste)
4. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Cardamom powder - A pinch (Optional)
6. Salt - To taste
7. Boiling Water - As required

Method

1. Mix the grated coconut and jaggery well.

2. Heat some water in a vessel adding salt. Add the hot water little by little to the rice flour until a smooth dough is formed.

3. Roll the dough into medium sized balls and flatten them with your palm. Fill it with the jaggery-coconut filling and reshape it into a ball. Steam the balls in a steamer or idli cooker for about 15 - 20 mts.

 

 

 

 

Tips :

 

1. You can avoid using jaggery in this recipe. Instead of filling the balls with grated coconut, just add it to the dough and knead well.

Nadan Kozhukatta

 

 

Ingredients

1. Kerala rose matta rice/Kuthari - 1 cup
2. Grated coconut - 1 cup
3. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt - To taste

Method

1. Soak rice in water for about 10 - 12 hrs.

 

 

2. Grind it in a mixer adding water little by little until you get a coarse mixture. Heat a deep pan. Add the ground mixture and stir until the water evaporates at medium heat (takes about 5 - 10 mts). Check for salt. Make lemon sized balls out of it and steam for about 15 - 20 mts or until done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tips:

1. You can also grind sugar (1-2 tbsp) along with the soaked kuthari rice, grated coconut, cumin seeds and salt.

Banana Bread

        I had banana bread for the first time from a local road-side shop on our way to Hana in Maui, Hawaii. They were freshly baked and were sold in small zipper lock bags for 5$ / half lb or so. It was so delicious that we had lots of it that day. I had no idea that it was so easy to make until my friend Reshmi shared this easy banana bread recipe. Nowadays I make it  whenever I have some ripe banana left. It calls for the most common ingredients that are available anytime in our kitchen pantry. You just need to mix them and bake for an hour. You do not even need a hand mixer, you can use a spoon or fork.  You can have them for breakfast, as a tea-time snack or even as dessert. This is the basic recipe for a banana bread. There are n number of variations that you can make to this basic recipe. You can make it even more delicious by adding chopped walnuts, almonds, chocolate chips, raisins or other dry fruits and nuts of your choice. I will post the healthier version soon with whole wheat flour, honey, nuts and absolutely no oil!

 

Ingredients

1. All purpose flour - 2 cup
2. Banana - 3 overripe
3. Sugar - 3/4 cup
4. Eggs - 2
5. Baking powder - 1tsp
6. Baking soda - 1 tsp
7. Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
8. Apple sauce - 1/2 cup (optional, added to make it moist)
9. Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp (optional)
10. Canola oil - 1/2 cup

Method

1. Mash the banana with a fork.

2. In a bowl add 2 cups of flour, sugar,  baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon powder. Give it a mix and stir in the eggs, apple sauce, vanilla essence and canola oil. Now add the mashed banana mixture and mix well.

3. Grease a baking tray or loaf pan and pour the mixture.  Preheat the oven at 350 F and bake for 1 hour until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Take it out and let it cool in the pan for around 10 mts or so. Cut into slices and enjoy!!

 

 

Tips:

 

1.  You can substitute all purpose flour with whole wheat flour for the healthier version. 

3.  You can reduce the quantity of oil and add some honey instead.

Bread Pizza

 

     This is a great snack for the kids and adults alike. Whenever the pizza craving hits you and you are in no mood to buy take out you can make this in a jiffy. You just need a couple of bread slices, ketchup, cheese and a few veggies.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1. Bread Slices  -  5
2. Tomato ketchup -  2-3 tbsp
3. Chicken breast - 1 diced
4. Mushroom - 1/2 cup
5. Onion, bell pepper (red and green), pineapple tidbits - 1/2 cup
6. Pepper powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp
7. Garlic salt/salt  - To taste

 

Method

 

1. Heat vegetable oil in a pan.  Add the chicken pieces.  Season with  garlic salt and pepper powder and saute until they turn white and half-cooked.

2.  Now add mushroom slices and saute well.  When the chicken pieces and mushroom are cooked add the onion and  bell peppers.  Saute for a minute or two.  Switch off.

 

3. Smear the bread slices with a layer of  tomato ketchup.  Now spread the chicken -vegetable mixture on top of the bread.  I added some canned pineapple tidbits too. 

 

4. Top with grated cheese.  Bake it at 375 F for around 10 mts or until the cheese melts and the bread turn slightly crispy (You can slice the bread if you wish.)

 

 

 

Tips:

 

1)  Add more toppings on the bread and fat free cheese to make it more healthy.  Instead of ketchup you can use any pizza sauce.

 

2)  Vegetable bread pizza can also be made in the same way. You can try veggies of your choice.  I made it with onion, bell peppers and mushroom.  I usually add more toppings on the bread and less cheese to make it more healthy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kerala Style Kothu Porotta/Paratha

             Porottas are one of the easily available things in the Indian store in freezer section. This kothu porotta is a South Indian dish which can be easily prepared, and is a perfect brunch for weekends:). You can also serve it as a snack. Here is the recipe for kothu porotta.

 

Ingredients

 

1. Porotta – 4-5  cut  into bite sized pieces
2. Onion – 1 medium diced
3. Ginger – 1 tsp chopped
4. Garlic – 1  tsp chopped
5. Green chillies – 5-6 chopped
6. Tomato – 1 medium chopped
7. Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
8. Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
9. Turmeric  powder – 1/4 tsp
10. Tomato ketchup – 2 tsp
11. Egg – 2
12. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
13. Oil – 2-3 tsp
14. Curry leaves – 1 sprig
15. Coriander leaves – to garnish
16. Salt – to taste

 

 

 

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds.

2. Add onion and salt. Saute onion untill translucent. Then add ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies.

 

3. Add the tomatoes, cook until soft.

4. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and mix well.

5. Add the porotta pieces and stir fry it for a few minutes. Now add the tomato ketchup and mix well.

 

6. Beat the eggs with little salt. Now pour it into the porottas gently and scramble it.

7. Garnish with the coriander leaves. Remove from the heat.

8. Serve hot.

Tips:

1. You can use chappathi/plain nan instead of porotta.

2. You can also add minced chicken/any meat.

3. The porottas can also be deep fried.

4.  Vegetarians can avoid eggs.