Bread Puttu and Kadala Curry

 

 

    My dear friend Manju Jyotish gifted me this cute chiratta puttu maker (steel replica of a coconut shell) when she came back from her vacation in Kerala last month. I came to US last january and its been more than a year since I visited India. I didnt bring idli cooker, idiyappam maker etc with me  so I was very excited to have this puttu maker. Besides I had not seen a chiratta puttu maker even while I was in Kerala. This is really handy since it is so simple and quick to make puttu with this. Thanks a lot Manjoos :).

    My mother saw this bread puttu recipe in a cookery show, she tried it and asked me to give a try as well, since everybody loved it. It takes only 3-4 mts for this puttu to get ready and the whole preparation takes only around 5 - 10 mts. Bread puttu tasted great with thenga varutharacha kadala curry.  When you are really tired or lazy but you want to have something special or if you have some left over bread, this is your choice. You can make bread puttu with the traditonal puttumaker (puttukutti) in the same way. Here is the recipe for bread puttu and kadala curry.

Ingredients  (For 2 chiratta puttu)

Bread - 2.5 slices (I used multi grain whole wheat bread)

Grated coconut - 1/4 - 1/2 cup

Water - 1.5 - 2 tsp or as required

Method

1. Powder the bread slices(you can remove the sides of the bread) in a mixer. Put the bread powder in a bowl and sprinkle 1-2 tsp water, mix well with hands until they are just damp(no need to add salt).

2. Put the chillu (steel plate with lots of holes) inside the chiratta puttu mould, fill it with a tbsp of grated coconut, then the bread powder and top it with grated coconut. Close it with the lid.

3. Fill a pressure cooker with some water(around 2-3 cups), cover with its lid and bring to a boil. When steam starts coming out, mount the chiratta puttu mould on it. Steam cook for 3-4 mts or until steam starts coming out of the holes on top of its lid. Take the mould out and invert into a serving dish.  Have it with kadala curry or any curry you like, pappadam, ripe  banana etc.

 

Ingredients for Kadala Curry

 

1. Black Chana/Kadala - 3.5 cups cooked (soak the dried kadala overnight and cook with 1/4 tsp tumeric powder, salt and 3 - 3.5 cups water, save the water for the gravy)
2. Sliced coconut pieces (thenga kothu ) - 3 tbsp
3. Onion - 1 large sliced and chopped
4. Green chillies - 3 slit
5. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Pearl onions - 4 sliced
8. Dry red chillies-2
9. Curry leaves - A sprig
10. Coconut oil - As required
11. Salt - To taste

To roast and grind to a paste

1. Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
2. Pearl onion - 2 sliced
3. Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp (You can use coriander powder instead, add it while making the gravy)
4. Whole spices - (Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp, cardamom - 2, cloves - 6, Cinnamon stick - 1, Whole pepper corns - 12 - 15, star anise - 1)

 

Method

 

1. Soak the kadala overnight and cook in a pressure cooker till soft adding 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt. I usually cook it for 4 whistles at medium heat. Reserve extra water for the gravy. 

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the whole spices. Saute for a few seconds and add the sliced pearl onions. Saute for a minute and add the grated coconut. Roast until it turns reddish brown. Switch off and leave aside. Grind it to a paste when it cools down.

 

 

3. In a deep pan heat some coconut oil and splutter mustards and brown the dry red chillies. Now add the sliced coconut pieces. Saute until they turn brown,add the sliced onion, pearl onions, green chillies, little salt and a few curry leaves. Saute until they turn light brown. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, saute for a few seconds and add the reserved water from the cooked kadala. Bring to a boil and add the ground coconut paste and cooked kadala. Mix well and taste check for salt. Cook until the gravy achieves your desired consistency. I usually prefer a thick gravy for kadala curry.  Switch off and serve hot with puttu.

 

 

 

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.

 

Chicken Fried Rice

   Fried rice is one of the most popular recipes in Asia. This is a versatile dish since you can use any combination of vegetables, meat or seafood that you like. My mother used to make it for us when we were kids and it was a treat for us. Every one have their own way of making fried rice. I got this basic recipe from vahrevah.com to which I have made a few changes. The best rice to make fried rice is left-over rice since each grain will be separate. This delicious dish is extremely easy to prepare. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should be crunchy. Kids will love it.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

 

1.  Cold cooked rice - 3 cup (I used basmati rice)

2.  Chicken breast halves (skinless boneless) - 2 finely diced

3.  Green bell pepper - half finely chopped

4.  Red bell pepper - half finely chopped

5.  Carrot - 1

6.  Beans  - 50 gm

7.  Onion - half finely chopped

8. Garlic - 3 minced

9.  Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

10.  Corn flour - 1/2 tsp

11.  Soy sauce - 1 tbsp or to taste

12. Vinegar  - 1 tbsp

13. Egg - 3 beaten

14. Spring onion - 2

15. Celery - 2 stalks

16. Salt - To taste

17. Sugar - 1/2 tsp

18. vegetable oil or butter - 1 tbsp

 

 

Method

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)  To the chicken pieces add pepper powder, few drops of egg, salt and corn flour.  Shallow fry them in oil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Heat 1 tbsp oil or butter in a wide pan. Add chopped garlic, onion and saute till onion turns light brown. Now add beans. Saute at high heat for a minute. 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Add carrot and bell pepper.  Saute for a few minutes at high heat. Add soy sauce, vinegar

and mix well.  Add the chicken pieces (you can chop the fried chicken pieces if you want) . Mix well.

 

 

 

 

 

4) Now add rice and stir fry for a few minutes. Add sugar and garnish with spring onion and celery.  Check salt.  Scramble the eggs in a separate pan and mix well with the rice. Serve hot.

 

 

 

Tips:

 

1.  Vegetarians can avoid egg and chicken.

2. Use left-over rice to make fried rice.

3.  You can use other veggies like green peas, corn, broccoli, bean sprouts, babycorn, mushroom etc.

 

 

Fried Idli

     If you have some left over idli, don’t waste it. We can change it into a yummy snack for tea time. It’s a 10 minute easy recipe with minimum ingredients.

   

 

 

 Ingredients

 1. Idli - 4

2. Finely chopped onion - 2 tbsp

3. Finely chopped ginger & garlic - 1 tsp

4. Tomato ketchup - 3/4 tsp

5. Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

6. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

8. Salt - to taste

For tempering

1. Oil - 2 tsp

2. Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp

3. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method

 

1. Cut the idli in cubes.

2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds, then add curry leaves.

3. Add the onion, sauté it well, add little salt (remember there is salt in the idli) and chopped ginger & garlic.

4. When its light brown add the ketchup, chilli powder & turmeric powder. Mix well.

 

 

5. Immediately add the idli, mix well and close with a lid.

6. Cook in low flame for 5 minutes, stir in between.

7. Then remove the lid and mix well so that the idli will be fried and covered with the gravy.

8. Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

9. Serve hot with tea/coffee.

Tips:

1. You can also make idli upma by adding some carrots, nuts, green peas and grated coconut after sautéing ginger and garlic.
2. Use ghee instead of oil for kids.
3. You can deep/shallow fry the idli for kids, they will love it (it will taste like uzhunnu vada).