KERALA STYLE BANANA FLOWER THORAN/VAZHAPOO PORIAL/BANANA FLOWER STIR FRY

Banana flower is known as annans heart.This is used as a vegetable..It is large which grows from the end of the bunch of bananas. It has outstanding medical properties.It is also known as banana blossom. It is packed with essential minerals such as phosphorus,calcium,potassium,copper, magnesium and iron.It is a rich source of Vitamins like A,C,E and also fiber and iron.It is packed with dietary fibre.

It has got antioxidant properties.It is good for diabetic patients.

It can be added to salads,stir friesand herbal tea.

Ingredients

Banana flower …..1

Green gram dhal…..1 cup

Mustard seeds…..1 tsp

Shallots….few or big onion 1 chopped

Turmeric…..1/2 tsp

Green chillies…3

Salt as needed

Curry leaves…few

Cumin seeds…1/2 tsp

Garlic.. 3 to 4 cloves

Oil…..as required

Method.

Boil green gram.It should not be mushy. Keep aside.

Just pulse coconut scrapings,g.chillies, garlic clovesand cumin seeds.

In a kadai add oil. I have used coconut oil.

Add mustard seeds when it splutters add curry leaves and chopped onion.

Fry and then add chopped banana flower add little salt.Dont add water.Fry for few minutes.

Now add grinded masala and turmeric and mix well.keep in centre and cover with a lid in a medium flame.

When it is almost cooked add boiled green gram and mix well.Again cook for3 mts in low flame.

It shd be dry.

Serve with rice as a side dish.

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SAMBAR SADAM

I have given many lunch box recipes.

One such tasty recipe is sambar sadam. This recipe is a South Indian style .

I have cooked rice and dhal seperately then added veggies .This is a good combination of rice,lentil and vegetables which is a healthy one.

For sambar rice I have used a powder which I have made at home. Another option is to use sambar powder.

Ingredients for the powder.

Coriander seeds…..1 TSP
Chana dhal……….1 TSP
Urad dhal……..1/2 TSP
Pepper corns ….few

Cumin seeds 1/2 TSP
Red chillies….1

Fenugreek seeds….1/4 tsp

Fry these ingredients and powder it.

Another option is to add 2 TBS coconut scrapings and grind into paste.

I have fried coconut scrapings and added to the rice.Since I had this powder without coconut.

Ingredients

Ghee…….2 or 3 TBS
Mustard seed……1/4 TSP
Urad dhal…..1/2 TSP
Rice….1 cup

Toor dhal….1/4 cup

Redchillies…1

Shallots……few

Tomato ….1

Potato….1

Drumstick…few pieces/Peas/Brinjal/Beans(any veggies of your choice)

Carrot……1

Tamarind…..small gooseberry size

Curry leaves….few

Coriander leaves chopped 1 TBS

Turmeric powder…..1/2 tsp

Method

Cook rice and dhal seperately.

In a kadai.Add ghee.

Now add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dhal and red chilly.

Now add curry leaves,shallots, tomato fry a little then add drumstick and carrot.Add salt.

Fry then add turmeric Powder and then the powder which has been made.

Then add tamarind extract and allow the veggies to get cooked.

Now add cooked dhal and rice to it. If you want you can add fried coconut scrapings.

It will get thickened after sometime so while adding water be careful.

When rice,dhal, tamarind extract and vegetables blends well remove from fire and finally add chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with papad,salad or Cathal.

Sago vermicelli payasam with jaggery

BROKEN WHEAT UPMA

Another easy breakfast recipe.Briken wheat upma is very healthy and in this recipe have added vegetable s to increase it’s nutritive value.

Ingredients

Broken wheat…….1 cup

Onion…..1

Green chillies…..2

Peas…….3 tbs

Carrot chopped…..2 tbs

Oil

Mustard seeds…1/4 tsp

Urad dhal…….1/2 tsp

Curry leaves a few

Method

Put 1 tbs oil and fry broken wheat and keep side.

Some like to add without frying.

Now in a kadai put oil add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dhal then onion,curry leaves and green chillies.

Add veggies then add 21/2 cups of water salt and allow it to boil.

Now add broken wheat and cook till done.

Serve with chutney.

BLACK CHICKPEAS CURRY/KERALA STYLE KARUPU KADALAI CURRY

Black chickpeas curry very common in Kerala.This is a side dish for appam,poori and even puttu.

Soak chickpeas for about 8 hrs.

Ingredients:

Black chickpeas………1 cup

Coconut scrapings…1/2 cup

Shallots……..10 nos

Tomato….. 1

Green chillies…..2

Coriander powder….1 tbs

Turmeric powder…1/4 tsp

Chilli powder…..1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves

Curry leaves…..few

Ginger ……finely grated 1/2 tsp

Garlic finely chopped….1/2 tsp

Salt as needed

Oil
Cook chickpeas separate ly in pressure pan.

Grind coconut scrapings into smooth paste.

In a kadai add little oil.

Method

Add seasonings and then add garlic and ginger then shallots chopped

Then add green chillies curry leaves and tomatoes.

Now add dry spice powders to it

Add cooked chickpeas,salt little water so that the masala blends with the channa then finally add coconut paste and cook for few mts.

When everything blends well remove from fire add chopped Coriander leaves leaves.

Can serve as a side dish for puttu,appam and for poori

Watch “Kerala Style Konda Kadala Curry | கேரள பாணி கொண்டகண்டலா கறி | Black Chickpeas Curry” on YouTube

Easy kozhukattai

An easy snack or breakfast .This can be made very easily if you have rice flour at home.

• Ingredients:
• Rice flour……..1 cup
• Salt as needed
• Oil
• Red chillies….few
• Curry leaves few.
• Urad dhal…..1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds..1/4 tsp
• Coconut grated….1/4 cup

Method

• Take a bowl and put rice flour into it.
• In a kadai add little oil when it gets heated add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dhal then add broken red chillies and then curry leaves when it gets fried add to the rice flour and keep aside.
• Add coconut scrapings.
• Now boil two cups of water with salt and 1 tsp oil.
• Add it to flour.
• 
• Now mix well with a laddle without any lumps.
• Make balls out of it.
• Now keep it in a steamer and cook till it gets done.
• 

If this is not for neivedyam you can add chopped onions and fry with red chillies and then add to the flour.This has a different taste.If for breakfast can have with coconut chutney.

RAWA PAYASAM

Easy payasam recipe.can make this within few minutes.

Rawa…….1/2 cup

• Cashews few
• Raisins few
• Water…1 1/2 cup
• Milk….1 litre
• Sugar.. 2 cups
• Ghee…2 tbs
• Yellow food colour

METHOD

• In a tawa add ghee and fry rawa.
• 
• Add water, milk and sugar and boil.
• 
• When it gets cooked add sugar,cardomom powder,color and nuts.
• 
• Serve hot or cold.

BABYCORN CAPSICUM JALFREZI

JALFREZI is not only simple but tasty recipe too. It is a kind of dish with a few spice powder sauteed with onions and cooked in tomato puree.

Can use paneer or different color bell pepper but I have used green bell pepper.

Ingredients

Baby corn…..12 to 15 nos

Capsicum….1 no

Dry chillies……2

Garlic few pods

Ginger1 ” piece grated

Tomato puree…..1 cup

Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar 1/2 tsp

Sugar……1/2 tsp

Salt as needed

Oil

Garam masala or vegetable masala powder….1/2 tsp

Cinnamon…..a small piece

Cloves….3

Method

In a kadai put oil.

Now put cinnamon,cloves then addgarlic pieces and grated ginger then onion add little salt and saute.

Add capsicum and red chillies.when sauteed add babycorns cut into 4 pieces or 8.

Add all the spice powders and fry a little.

Now add tomatoes puree,vinegar and sugar.

Check for salt

Don’t over cook the baby corn .It hould be crunchy.

Finally add chopped Coriander leaves.

This will thicken quickly.If you want to have runny gravy add little water.

BEANS PARUPU USLI

Beans parupu usli is a traditional recipe. This is common in Tamil brahmin house.We can use cluster beans and banana flower too.This is served for festivals and for auspicious functions. Vegetable is cooked with crumled soft dhal.

Soak Dal’s for 2 hrs

Ingredients:

• Beans finely chopped….250 gms
• Salt as required
• Turmeric powder…..1/4 tsp
• Split Bengal gram….1/4 cup
• Toordhal…..1/4 cup
• Red chillies…4

Method

1. After soaking for few hours grind into paste with red chillies and a little salt and keep aside.
2. Chop beans and cook till tender now add the ground paste in the centre and cover it and cook
4. 
5. Cook till the raw smell goes.check for salt.
6. Mix well and the dhal will be crumbled .

Serve with rice and curry.