Mutton Curry

Ingredients

1. Mutton / Lamb - 1/2 kg, cubed

2. Onions - 1/4 kg, chopped

   Ginger - 2.5 - 3 inch piece, roughly chopped

   Garlic - 10 small pieces

   Green chillies - 2

3. Tomato - 1 small, chopped

4. Curry leaves - 1 - 2 sprigs

5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsn

   Chilly powder - 1 tbsn

   Coriander powder - 1.5 tbsn

   Pepper powder - 2 tsn

   Garam masala powder - 2.5 tsn

6. Mustard - 1/2 tsn

7. Salt - To taste

8. Coconut oil -   2 tbsn

Method

1. Crush the pearl onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies in a mixer.

2. Heat 2 tbsn oil in a pressure cooker. (You can either splutter the mustards now or after the curry is done as mentioned in step 3) Add in the crushed mixture mentioned in step 1 and saute until they turn light brown. Add the tomatoes and saute for a few minutes or until the tomato is mashed up and oil starts separating. Now add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder, pepper powder and garam masala powder. Stir for a minute or until their raw smell is gone and oil separates. Add the mutton pieces, few curry leaves and enough salt. Stir for 1 - 2 minutes and add enough water (around 1/2 - 3/4 cup). Cover with the lid and pressure cook for about 2 - 3 whistles. Bring down the heat and cook for 10 - 15 minutes or until the mutton is cooked well. Remove from heat. Open the pressure cooker when the pressure releases and taste check for salt. Adjust the gravy according to your required consistency. Add 2 pinches of garam masala and mix well.

3. Heat 2 tsn coconut oil in a small pan and splutter mustards. Throw in a few curry leaves and pour this tadka over the curry. Keep aside for 30 minutes before serving. Serve hot with chapathi, rice, appam, paratha or even dosa/idli.

Cheera aviyal

Green Peas curry

Ingredients

1.    Green peas - 1.5 cup, dried

2.    Onion - 1 small, thinly sliced

3.    Tomato - 1 small, chopped

4.    Green chillies - 2, seeded

5.    Curry leaves - 1 sprig

6.    Grated coconut - 1/2 - 3/4 cup

7.    Cumin seeds - 1 - 2 pinches

8.    Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsn

9.    Chilly powder - 1/2 tsn

10.  Coriander powder - 1 tsn

11.  Garam masala - 1/2 tsn

12.  Salt - To taste

13.  Oil - 2 tsn

Method

1) Soak green peas in water for at least 6 - 7 hrs. Drain and keep aside.

2) Grind the grated coconut with cumin seeds to a very smooth paste.

3) Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add sliced onions and green chillies. Saute until transparent and add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Saute for a few seconds and add tomatoes and curry leaves. Cook for a minute and add enough water to cook the green peas. Add enough salt. Bring it to a boil and add the soaked green peas. Cook for 1 whistle or until the green peas is done. The cooking time and number of whistles totally depends on the type of pressure cooker you use. Open the pressure cooker and add the ground coconut paste. Bring it to a boil, taste check for salt and switch off. Serve hot with appam/ idiyappam / chapatis / parottas.

Egg curry with coconut milk

Ingredients

1. Eggs - 5, hard-boiled

2. Onion - 2 medium, thinly sliced

    Ginger - 2.5 tsp, sliced

    Green chilies - 3 - 4, sliced

    Curry leaves - 1 sprig

3. Tomato - 1 medium-small, sliced or chopped

4. Coconut milk, thin - 3/4 cup

5. Thick coconut milk - 1/4 - 1/2 cup

6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsn

    Garam masala powder - 1 tsn

7. Crushed pepper - 1/4 - 1/2 tsn

8. Coconut oil - 1.5 tbsn

    Mustard seeds - 1/4 - 1/2 tsn

    Dried red chilies -  2, broken

9. Salt - To taste

Method

Heat oil in a deep pan. Splutter mustards and fry dry red chilies. Add sliced onion and little salt. Fry for a few minutes and add ginger, green chilies and curry leaves. Continue sautéing until onion turns light golden. Bring down the heat and add turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Sauté for a minute and add tomatoes. After a minute, add thin coconut milk. Cook at medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes. Check for salt. Add thick coconut milk, curry leaves and crushed pepper. Mix well and add the eggs. Cook for 1 minute at low heat. Switch off.  It goes very well with idiyappam and palappam.

Muringayilakkari

Ingredients

1.    Muringayila  - 2 cups

2.    Grated coconut - 1 cup

3.    Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

4.    Garlic - 3 - 4 small cloves

5.    Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

6.    Curry leaves - A few

7.    Salt - To taste

8.    Oil - 2 tsp

9.    Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

10.  Dry red chillies - 3 - 4

Method

1. Grind the coconut along with cumin seeds and garlic to a fine paste.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustards. Fry dry red chillies and a few curry leaves. Add the muringayila and saute for a minute. Add the ground coconut mixture. Add 1 cup of water and enough salt. Switch off when it starts to boil. Serve with rice.

Cheera parippukari

Ingredients

1. Spinach – 1 bunch, washed and chopped

    Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsn

    Chilly powder – 1 tsn

     Salt – To taste

2. Toor dal – 1 cup

    Water – As required

3. Grated coconut – 1/2 cup

    Cumin seeds – 1/4 - 1/2 tsn

    Garlic – 1 small clove, optional

4. Oil – 2 tsn

    Mustard seeds –1/2 tsn

    Dry red chilies – 2 (optional)

    Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method

1. Grind the coconut along with cumin seeds and garlic to a fine paste.

2. Cook the toor dal adding enough water. You can pressure cook it for 1 whistle. When it is cooked, mash it lightly and add the chopped spinach, turmeric powder, chilly powder and little salt. Add little water if it is very thick. You need a medium-thick consistency for this curry. Mix well. When the spinach is cooked, about 5 – 7 minutes, add the ground coconut mixture. Cook for a few minutes at low flame, until it starts to boil from the sides. Switch off.

3. Heat oil in a small pan. Splutter mustards and fry dry red chilies. Add a few curry leaves and pour this seasoning over the curry.

Vada Koottukari

Ingredients (Serves 5 - 6)

1. Whole urad dal - 1/2 cup (Soak urad dal in enough water for 4 - 5 hrs)

   Crushed pepper corns - 1/2 tsp (Optional) 
   Salt - To taste

   Oil - To deep fry

2. Potato - 2 small, cut into medium cubes

   Onion - 1 small, cut into small cubes

   Green chillies - 2 - 3, slit

   Crushed ginger - 2 tsn

   Curry leaves - 1 sprig

3.Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsn

   Red chilly powder - 3/4 tsn.

   Coriander powder - 2 - 3 tsn

   Garam masala powder - 1 tsn

4. Thin coconut milk - 1.5 - 2 cups

   Thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup

5. Salt - To taste

For the seasoning

1. Coconut oil - 2 tsn

2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsn

3. Dry red chillies – cut into two

4. Curry leaves - A few

Method

1) Soak the urad dal for 4 - 5 hrs and drain the water completely. Grind it to a fine paste adding  little water, if required. Heat oil in a deep pan. Add 1/2 tsn crushed pepper corns and enough salt to the batter. Drop small portions of the vada mixture into hot oil. Fry them until golden and drain on to a paper towel.

2) Heat oil in a pan and add onion, green chilly, ginger, curry leaves and little salt. When onion turn light  golden in color, add turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder. Saute until their raw smell is gone. Add cubed potatoes. Mix well and cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Add thin coconut milk and enough salt. Cover and cook until potatoes are done at medium heat. When they are well-cooked, add garam masala powder, thick coconut milk and a few curry leaves. Bring to a slow boil. Add the fried vadas and mix well. Check for salt. Switch off.

This curry tends to thicken over time. Serve with rice, idlis or even chapatis.

Cauliflower Fry

Ingredients

1. Cauliflower - 1 medium sized

2. Turmeric powder - 1 tsn

3. Chilli powder - 1 tsn

4. Garam masala - 1/2 - 1 tsn

5.  Salt - To taste

6.  Oil - 2 tsn

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.

Cauliflower Thoran

Ingredients

1.    Cauliflower - 1 medium-sized cut into small pieces

2.    Onion sliced – 1 no.

3.    Green chillies - 2-3 chopped

4.    Curry leaves - 1 sprig

5.    Crushed whole pepper corns - 8

6.    Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

7.    Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsn

8.    Pepper powder - 1/2 - 1 tsn

9.    Salt - To taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a deep pan.  Splutter mustard seeds and brown the dry red chillies.  Add the pearl onions and chopped green chillies.  Stir in the crushed pepper corns and saute for a minute. 

2. Add the cauliflower pieces, turmeric powder, grated coconut and salt.  Cover and cook at low heat till the cauliflower is cooked. Finally add the pepper powder, mix well and cook for a few more minutes. Switch off. Serve hot with rice. 

Ingredients

Mangoes -  4

Water - 1.5 cup

Green chillies - 4, slit

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsn

Chilly powder - 1 tsn

Grated coconut - 3/4 cup

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsn

For the seasoning

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsn

Fenugreek – 1/2 tsn

Dry red chillies - 2, halved

Method

Grind the grated coconut with chilly powder, turmeric powder and cumin seeds to a very fine paste.

Remove the skin of the mangoes. Cook them adding 1 cup water, green chillies,  curry leaves and enough salt. When they are done, lower the flame and add the ground coconut mixture. Cook for a few minutes. Switch off. Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustards and fry dry red chillies. Pour into the curry. Serve hot with rice.