Kappa (Tapioca) Thoran - Kerala Dish

Ingredients :

• Kappa - 1/2 kg [Peeled & Chopped into small pieces]
• Onion - 2-3 [Peeled & Chopped finely]
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Curry leaves - little
• Salt - as required
• Sambhar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1 tsp
• Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal [Broken black gram] - 1 tsp

Method :

First pressure cook the kappa adding salt & turmeric & wait for 3 whistles to come. After the pressure leaves, drain the water & keep aside. Then take one kadai & add coconut oil. When it becomes hot, add the seasoning. When the dal becomes golden in colour, add the chopped onion along with curry leaves. Add a pinch of salt so that the onion gets fried quickly. Along with the onion, add the grated coconut so that both (onion & grated coconut) turns into golden colour. Add the kappa & sambhar powder. Keep the gas in a low flame & stir frequently till the masalas gets quoted in the sabhji completely. Remove from the gas & garnish with fresh curry leaves. Serve with rice or rotis.

Samai Rice Kheer

Ingredients :

• Samai rice [ varai thanthul ] - Slightly above 1 hand full [ soak in the water ]
• Milk - 2 1/2 litre [ whole milk ]
• Kesar [ safron ] - a pinch [ soak in warm milk ]
• Sugar - 2 cups or as required by taste
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Broken nuts - little [ for garnishing ]
• Ghee - 2 tsp

Method :

First take one heavy bottom kadai on broad non-stick vessel. Pour milk in that vessel and allow to boil. When the milk starts boiling, add the soaked rice to that, stir in between in low flame. When the rice gets completely cooked and the kheer becomes thick, add sugar and soaked safron to that and mix well. Cook 10 minutes more in low flame. Add cardamom powder. When the kheer gets ready, remove from the gas. Add ghee to that and garnish with broken nuts. Your yummy kheer is ready to serve. 

Cauliflower Peas Rich Gravy

Ingredients :

• Green peas - 1/4 cup [ boiled ]
• Cauliflower pieces - 1 cup
• Big onion - 1 [ chopped ]
• Red tomato - 1/2 cup [ chopped ]
• Cinnamon - 1 small piece
• Cloves - 2
• Aniseed - 1/4 tsp
• Butter - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Curd - 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves - little

For grinding :

• Cashewnuts - 6 to 7
• Badam - 4
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
• Green chilli - 2 to 3
• Aniseed - 1/4 tsp

Grind all together to smooth paste.


Method :

Cut onion, green chilli, tomato into lengthy pieces. Cut flower into big pieces. Then keep one kadai, add butter and oil together. When it becomes hot, add seasoning along with 2-3 cashews. Then add onion, green chilli, tomatoes, fry for 5 minutes till onion, tomato becomes soft. Then add peas and flower, close with lid and allow to boil for 10 minutes. Then open the lid, add salt, curd, ground masala and required water. When the gravy becomes thick, remove from the gas and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. You will get star hotel taste in the home. Serve with roti, parathas.

Bhindi Ka Salan

Ingredients :

• Bhindi [ ladies finger ] - 250 gms. [ cut into triangle shape (see the picture) ]
• Onion - 2 [ cut into thin lengthy pieces ]*
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Dhaniya jeera powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
• Javithre powder - 1/4 tsp
• Curd - 2 tblsp
• Oil - enough for frying
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Aniseed - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - little

*Note : Fry the onion in the hot oil till it becomes golden brown in color and grind into a smooth paste.

Method :

First keep one kadai on the gas and add enough oil. When the oil becomes hot, deep fry the bhindi till it changes into light brown in color. Then remove from the oil and keep aside on a tissue paper. In the same oil, fry the onion paste. Add ginger garlic paste, salt, turmeric, red chilli  powder and mix well. Then add whipped curd along with aniseed,  javithri  powder, little sugar and 1 glass water. Allow to boil for 5 minutes in low flame.When the oil leaves side, add the fried bhindi to that. Boil 3 minutes more and remove from the gas. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. It goes well with roti, paratha, and steamed rice.

Green peas and Potato Gravy

Ingredients :

• Boiled green peas - 1/2 cup
• Boiled potato - 1 cup [ chopped ]
• Onion - 2 [ peeled and chopped ]
• Tomato - 2 [ chopped ]
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Oil - 3 tbsp
• Cashewnuts - 6 to 7
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Curry leaves - little
• Coriander leaves - little

Note: Soak the cashewnuts in the milk and grind to a smooth paste.


Method :

Keep one deep bottom kadai on the gas and add oil to that. When the oil becomes hot, add chopped onion, tomato and curry leaves and fry till the tomato becomes soft. Then add ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, dhaniya powder and salt. Mix well in low flame. When the raw smell goes, add half glass of water along with peas and potatoes. Allow to boil for 5 to 10 minutes more. Then add the cashew paste to that. When the gravy becomes thick, remove from the gas and garnish with coriander and curry leaves. It tastes well with roti and jeera rice.

Brinjal Gravy

Ingredients :

• Green or vielot brinjal - 1/4 kg
• Red tomato - 2 [ chopped ]
• Onion - 1 big [ chopped ]
• Salt - as required
• Oil - 3 to 4 tbl sp
• Curry leaves -little

For grinding masala :

• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Aniseed  - 1/4 tsp [ sombu ]
• Cinnamon - small piece
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Dhaniya powder 1/2 tsp
• Dry grated coconut - 3 tbsp
• Kala masala - 1 tsp [ ref to my kala masala recipe in my blog ]

 [ Grind all this in a mixer adding little water to a smooth paste ]

Method :

First keep one kadai on the gas and add oil. When it becomes hot, add chopped onion, tomato and curry leaves. [ The onion and tomato should be cut in the same size ]. Cut the brinjal into 4 pieces and add to the kadai. When the vegetable becomes soft, add the ground masala along with required hot water since it helps to cook fast. Keep the gas in low flame. Add salt and little sugar. When the subji gets completely cooked, [ oil will leave from the side ] remove from the gas and garnish with curry leaves. This sabhji goes well with rice and roti.

Peas potato masala rice and cucumber Raitha

Ingredients :

• Basmathi rice - 1 cup [ soaked in water for 15 minutes ]
• Onion - 2 [ peeled and cut into thin lengthy pieces ]
• Tomato - 2 [ cut into lengthy pieces ]
• Fresh peas - 1/4 cup
• Garlic flakes - 3-4
• Ginger - 1/2 inch [ small piece ]
• Green chillies - 2 [ slit & cut ]
• Chilli paste - 2 tbsp

[ If you are not having chilli paste, soak the kashmiri chillies (around 10-15) in hot water for 20 minutes & grind in a mixer to a smooth paste & store the same in freezer. Remove the seeds before grinding. ]

• Salt - As required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Ghee & oil [ mixed together ] - 2-3 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp [ optional ]

Those who are not having red chilli  paste thay can use red chilli powder. Hence I said the former as optional.


Method :

Take 1 pressuer pan, add ghee & oil. When it becomes hot, add cumin seeds & wait for a second. Then add sliced onion, tomato, garlic, green chilli, ginger & stir for 2-3 minutes & add the chilli paste. Mix well. Add salt, turmeric, garam masala, sugar & soaked rice. Add required water to that [ 1 1/2 cups of water ]. Mix well & close the lid. Allow for 3 whistles to come. After the pressure goes, open the lid & mix well. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve with cucumber raitha.