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.

Easy Vegetable Curry

    Here is a simple, really easy and tasty vegetable curry recipe for all of you to try out. It is one of the easiest curries that I have ever prepared. The recipe has been shared by one of my friends Lekshmy. You can also add any other vegetables of your choice like beans, cauliflower etc.

Ingredients

1. Potato - 1 medium, diced
2. Carrot - 2 small  diced
3. Beet root - 1 medium diced
4. Green chilly - 1 -2 slit (De-seed them if you want a less spicy curry.)
5. Ginger - 1.5 - 2 tsp grated
6. Curry leaves - 1 sprig
7. Coconut oil - 1.5 - 2 tsp
8. Lemon juice - 1 tsp or to taste
9. Salt - To taste

Method

   1. Cook the diced potato, carrot, beet root, green chilly, ginger and curry leaves in a pressure cooker adding 1 - 1.5 cups water and enough salt. Cook for 4-5 whistles at medium heat. When the pressure is released open the cooker, you can simmer it a for a few more minutes until your desired gravy consistency is reached. Check for salt and  add a tsp or so of coconut oil. You will get a wonderful aroma when you add it. Just before serving, add a tsp or so of lemon juice and mix well. This curry goes well with chapatis and pooris.

 

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.

 

 

 

Easy Cauliflower Fry

 

           Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage and kale, contain compounds that may help prevent cancer.  Cauliflower contains phytonutrients that release odorous sulfur compounds when heated. These odors become stronger with increased cooking time. If you want to minimize odor, retain the vegetable's crisp texture, and reduce nutrient loss, cook the cauliflower for only a short time. Cauliflower also contains vitamin C and folate. Three florets of cauliflower a day will provide you with 67% of your daily vitamin C requirement. Cauliflower spiced with turmeric is believed to inhibit the spread of some forms of cancer. Click here to read more health benefits of cauliflower.  This is a very simple and healthy dish which does not contain much oil or masala. It can be served along with chappathi/rice.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1. Cauliflower - 1 medium sized

2. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

3. Chilli powder - 1 tsp

4. Garam masala - 1/2 - 1 tsp

5.  Salt - To taste

6.  Oil - 2 tsp

7.  Cilantro - To garnish

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add the cauliflower florets.  Add salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook at medium heat.  It will be cooked in 10 - 15 mts.  You do not need to add any water.  When it is done, sprinkle the garam masala and stir-fry for a few mts.  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.  Serve hot. 

 

 

 

 

Spicy Prawn Stir-fry

     This is a very easy and tasty recipe. I tried this recipe from a cookbook gifted by my husband’s friend Abhish. It has some interesting recipes which I am planning to try over time. Even though this shrimp recipe is mentioned as an appetizer in the cookbook, it can also be served along with chappathi/rice.

Recipe Source - Best Ever Indian Cookbook






Ingredients

King prawns (jumbo shrimp) - 25 -30 deshelled and deveined (I used the frozen cooked ones. It is equally tasty)

Fresh ginger-garlic paste - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Seeds from 2 cardamom pods, crushed

Coconut milk - 1/4 cup

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Cilantro - 2 tbsp chopped

Salt - To taste

Method

 

1.  Clean and rinse the prawns under cold running water, drain and pat dry.

2.  Mix the ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, crushed cardamom seeds and salt in a bowl.  Marinate the prawns with this marinade.



 

3.  Heat oil in a pan.  Add the marinated prawns and stir-fry for a few minutes at medium heat.

 

4.  Stir in the coconut milk and saute for a few minutes until the prawns are cooked through. This will take only a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper powder. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Mango Pie

Here’s a recipe for an easy and delicious mango dessert.

 

 

Ingredients

Preparation Time – 10 mts, Refrigeration  7 – 8 hrs
This recipe is for two pies. If you want to make just one, cut down the ingredients to half.
1. Unflavored Gelatin (Jell-O) –  10 oz (there will be 4 small packets inside. Use 2 for one pie)
2. Heavy Cream – ½ Pint
3. Philadelphia Cream Cheese - 1 Packet (8 oz)
4. Mango Pulp – 1 can (available in Indian store. If the pulp is less sweetened, you may have to add sugar. So check before you start.)
5. Sugar (if extra sugar needs to be added and/or if the mango pulp is unsweetened)– 1 cup
6. Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp
7. Cardamom Powder – 4-5 pinches
8. Water – 1/2 cup
9. Graham Pie Crust – 2

Method

1. Heat heavy cream in a pan(max 4 mts in low heat).
2. Dissolve gelatin in warm water completely and add to the heavy cream.
3. In a blender mix together the above mixture with mango pulp, cream cheese, vanilla essence and cardamom powder and blend it smoothly.
4. Pour this to the graham piecrust.
5. Refrigerate overnight or at least 7 hours.

 

 

Recipe contributed by Lekshmy

Vendakka/Okra Masala Fry

 

       The world's most beautiful women, Cleopatra of Egypt and Yang Guifei of China loved to eat okra according to the history record :)   Okra is low in calories at about 25 for 1/2 cup sliced cooked okra.  It is also a good source of vitamins A and C  and valuable nutrients such as folic acids, iron, fiber and calcium. Click here to read more health benefits of okra.

 

    Ingredients

 

1.  Okra - 15 - 20 cut into halves

2.  Chilli powder - 1/2 - 1 tsp

3.  Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

4.  Coriander powder - 1-1.5 tsp

5.  Cumin powder - A pinch

6. Garam masala - 1/2 - 1 tsp

7.  Salt - To taste

 

 

Method

1.   Heat oil in a non-stick pan.  Add the okra and stir-fry for a few minutes at medium heat.  Now add chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt.  Continue stir-frying sprinkling water in between.

 

 

2.  When the okra is cooked add garam masala and a pinch of cumin powder.  Check for salt. Stir-fry for a few  more minutes and switch off. Serve hot with rice/chappathi.