Cabbage thoran ( cabbage stiry fry in Kerala style )

One of my good north Indian friends was curious about our cabbage thoran (in other words cabbage stir fry in Kerala style) recipe a couple of days backs, from then I have been thinking of blogging about it. Cabbage thoran is a must have dish in the menu of kerala sadya as well.

and also one of the favourite dishes of my family too

Ingredients

Cabbage – 250 gms

Onion (chopped) – one medium sized

Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp

Salt – as required

Grated coconut – ¼ cup

For seasoning

Oil - 1- 2 tbsp.

Mustard - 1/2 tsp.

Urad dal - 1 tsp.

Curry leaves – one or two sprigs

Dried red chilies – one or two

Ginger (optional) – ½ inch ( finely chopped)

Method

• Chop the cabbage fine (cut the cabbage vertically and slice using an adjustable slicer, I find this way easier).
• Please make sure the cabbage is not very wet (that will make the thoran soggy).
• Mix the chopped onion, cabbage, ginger and green chilies in a big bowl.
• Add the turmeric powder and salt to the above vegs and mix gently.
• Now keep a kadai/wok/pan on the stove, add oil and when the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, and wait to splutter, add the urad dal, dried red chillies and curry leaves, once it’s all crackled well add the chopped and mixed vegetable mixture into the seasoning. 
• Mix well again and let it cook.
• So at this stage if you find your vegetable mixture have very less moisture cover and cook and if you feel the vegetable has more moisture let the lid be open. We don’t want a sogy thoran anyway.
• Stir once in a while, it won’t take much time to cook (also depends on how fine or thick you have chopped the cabbage)
• Once cooked, sprinkle the grated coconut on top and mix well again (or you can mix just before serving)
• Serve hot with a bowl of rice, sambhar and curd.

My husband and kids loves this with plain rotis ;)

Thanks

Chaithanya

Banana flower stir fry |koombu thoran/mezhukkupuratti recipe

Banana flower stir fry |koombu thoran/mezhukkupuratti recipe

This is one of my favourite dishes. In Kerala my mother used to just pluck out the flower from the back yard and make this dish and it has that mild sweetness and tastes so yum! I used to still buy this vegetable from Bangalore but mother in law stopped me from buying this, she said they inject the chemicals/pesticide to the flower.

Recently when I saw the organic banana flower I couldn’t stop my selves from buying it...Made it for a weekend lunch and we loved it!! ..Happy hearts! 

The recipe as follows

Ingredients

Banana flower – one

Chilli powder- ½ tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp

Salt- as reqd

Oil- 2tspn

Garlic - few

For the seasoning

Red chillies- 2-3 no.s

Curry leaves- few sprigs

Rice (uncooked)- 2 tbsp

Method

Chop the banana flower fine and then throw in a big bowl, add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder , salt and a few spoons of oil ( we use coconut oil) and mix it well using your hands.. Use pressure while mixing.

Once it is mixed well. Keep the kadai on the stove and put this mixture and add the garlic… Close the kadai with a lid and let it cook in medium flame.

For the seasoning keep a small kadai on the stove and pour a spoon or two of oil. When the oil is medium hot add the rice, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Once the rice splutters and becomes crisp, put the seasoning over the banana flower thoran, mix well and serve.

Tips:

Vertically shop the flower into half, then put lot of slits vertically on one half and then chop it horizontally, your get it finely chopped.

Mixing with hand is a technique used my husband’s grandmother; it helps in releasing and mixing of the flavours.

Measurements of the spices can be changed according to the taste of your palate and the size of the banana flower.
Also its will be good if you season this dish just before serving as I like my rice to remain crisp :)

Thanks

 Chaithanya

Prawns with tamarind - A Thai recipe

I hardly have any non-veg recipes in my blog .. probably this is the first one. I must say that I am not a vegetarian, I do cook and consume fish once in a while but avoid cooking and eating meat varieties.. I just don't enjoy that part. 

Came across a Thai cookery book and tried a recipe from that using prawns. We love the thai flavours so just got to try this recipe :)

The original recipe is stir fried prawns with tamarind... but mine looks more like a curry a not a stir fry. nevertheless the dish was finger licking good :)

Ingredients

Dried red chillies - 6 

Veg oil - 2 tbspn

Chopped onion - 2 tbspn

Palm sugar=- 2 tbspn

Water/stok - 2 tbspn

Thai fish sauce- 1 tbspn

Tamarind juice - 6 tbspn

Prawns - 5 oo gms

Fried chopped garlic- 1 tbspn

Fried slice shallots - 2 tbspn

Method

Heat the wok and dry roast the chillies without burning them and set them aside. Crush it when it cools slightly.

Add the oil to the wok and heat. Add the chopped onion and cook over med heat, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes until softened and golden brown.

Add sugar, stock/water, fish sauce, crushed dry roasted chillies and the tamarind juice and stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat slightly.

Add the prawns, garlic and shallots. Toss over the heat for 3-4 minutes, until the prawns are cooked, Garnish with the spring onions and serve.

I bet its very tasty!

cook and enjoy ..

thanks!

Arbi (taro/ colocasia) fry

Simple arbi fry

This is a simple recipe with arbi which I cooked my way today.

Following is the recipe

1 Arbi(taro root)- 500gms

2.Oil- 2 tspns

   Mustard - 1/2 tspn

   Jeera- 1/2 tspn

   Crushed peanuts - a handful

   Garlic 3-4 cloves - finely chopped 

   Curry leaves

   Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn

   Salt

3.Green chillies - finely chopped    

   Fresh grated coconut- 2-3 tbspn

Method

• Peel the arbi and cut into med sized cubes and rinse it once in water. Steam in a steamer until its soft ( and not mushy)
• Take a big kadai and add oil. Once oil is hot enough throw in all in the ingredients in serial no.2.
• Add the steamed arbi little by little mixing well in the seasoning until all the arbi is added
• Garnish with grated coconuts and green chillies.
• Option: You may add the green chillies and coconut in the tadka itself.

Happy cooking! :)

Easy amaranthus leaves with peanuts recipe

This is another easy recipe which I make quite often . Dhant leaves which is easily available around is rich in calcium and iron and is very good for growing up children and of course adults too. I combine these leaves with roasted peanuts so that it gives the protein too. Another advantage of adding peanuts is that it makes the dish stay dry and not soggy since the peanuts absorbs the moisture from the leaves. 

Clean the leaves well in water, rinse and let it dry under the fan for 1-2 hours so that the water is removed from the leaves as much as possible so that you get a nice fresh looking dish.

Ingredients

Finely chopped leaves of amaranthus - 3-4 cups

Peanuts - 1/3 cup

Garlic - 7-8 cloves

Turmeric powder  - 1/2 tspn

Salt - as required

Oil - 1 tspn

For seasoning 

Rice

Dried red chillies

Oil - 2 tspns

Method

Heat the wok/ kadai and add the oil. 

Throw in the finely chopped leaves, garlic, peanuts and stir well.

Add the turmeric powder and salt.

Close the lid for few minutes and let it cook.

To season add oil in a small pan and when the oil is med hot add the rice and chillies. Once it splutters well add it to the dish and mix well just before you serve

Tip :It will b good if we do the seasoning just before serving the dish else the rice can turn soggy

You may also add green chillies or red chilli powder to the dish if you prefer it spicy

Easy to cook and enjoy :) 

Thanks!!

Easy Broccoli and egg burji recipe

I should confess this is kind of a cheat recipe :D

Me and my husband loves sauteed/ stir fried brocooli but our kids doesn't accept that way, so usually I make parathas which they happily eat and another one is burji. Tho' my kids knows it has broccoli they accept and enjoy this way. Its a very simple dish to make with min ingredients. The recipe follows!

Ingredients 

Finely chopped broccoli - 1/2 cup 

Eggs ( I use country eggs) - 2 

Finely chopped onion ( optional)

Finely chopped garlic- 2 tspn

Salt and pepper - as required

For seasoning a pinch of oregano and chilli flakes

Olive oil - 2 tbspn

Method

Heat the kadai /wok and add the olive oil and throw in the finely chopped garlic and broccoli, onion too if you are using it . Once it is semi cooked move the contents to the side of the wok and break the eggs in the middle and scramble it quickly . Mix it with the rest of the contents in the wok and bring it together.

Add the seasoning and mix well again. Switch off flame and serve hot!

I do a pre cleaning of the broccoli florets by immersing in hot water with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. Drain , rinse and strain and use for cooking.

Easy broccoli and egg burji recipe right :)