RAVA KESARI RECIPE

RAVA KESARI RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• Sooji/rava – 1/2 cup
• Sugar – 3/4 cup
• Water – 2 cups
• Salt – a pinch
• Kesari color- 2 pinches
• Ghee – 3 tbsp
• Cashews - few

METHOD

• Keep a plate ready greased with a drop of ghee..
• Heat 1tbsp of ghee in a kadai and fry the cashews till golden brown.Remove and set aside. In the same ghee , roast rava for 4 minutes till u get a nice aroma. Do in medium flame with constant stirring.Else rava may be burnt and color will change.Remove the roasted rava in a plate.
• Now add 2 cups of water , a pinch of salt , kesari color in a kadai and let it boil for few minutes.
• When the water starts to roll boil vigorously, simmer the flame completely.Add the roasted rava in one hand and stir the mixture using a ladle in the other hand.Mix well till all the water gets absorbed by the rava.Take care, it splashes.Cover and cook the rava for 5-6 minutes in low flame.Stir once in between.
• After 5-7 minutes , rava will be well cooked and soft. Now add all the sugar and remove the kadai from fire..Keep stirring continuously. The mixture will become watery.Small lumps may be formed here and there but if u keep on stirring vigorously, lumps will break and the mixture becomes thick
• Again keep the kadai on stove and start mixing.Do in medium flame .
• Mix until all the sugar dissolves and mixes with rava.Mixture will become slightly thick.Now add 1 tbsp of ghee and cardamom powder, mix well for 2-3 minutes.Kesari will start to leave the sides of the kadai. As soon as it leaves the sides , add the remaining ghee.Mix for few seconds.Kesari will leave the sides of the pan completely.It will slide from the kadai without sticking.
• Switch off the stove and immediately transfer it to the greased plate.
• To check the right consistency , slightly wet ur fingers in water and touch the kesari.If it is non-sticky , kesari is done!! If not , again keep on fire and mix for a minute.
• Level it with a back of ladle greased with ghee.Decorate with cashews and serve !

SEMIYA PAYASAM

SEMIYA PAYASAM

INGREDIENTS

• Semiya / Vermicelli – 1/2 cup
• Sugar – 6 tbsp
• Milk – 1 ltr
• Water – 1 cup
• Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
• Ghee – 1 tbsp
• Cashews and dry grapes - few

METHOD

• In a wide mouthed Kadai , add half tbsp of ghee and roast the vermicelli till it turns golden brown with a nice aroma.
• Add milk and water .
• The semiya gets cooked well. 
• Add the sugar. Mix well.
• Add milk if its too thick.Check for taste and add more sugar if required.
• Finally add the cardamom powder.. Boil for sometime.
• In a small kadai , take the remaining ghee and roast the cashews and dry grapes.
• Add on top of the payasam and garnish !!!!!!!!!!!

Serve hot or cold !...........

Spicy Sardine Baked

Nadan Mathi / Chala Pollichathu

Ingredients

• Mathi-1/2 kg(cleaned and make gashes on both sides) 
• Grated coconut-1 
• Chilli powder-2 tsp 
• Coriander powder-1 tsp 
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp 
• Small onion-10 
• Green Chilly-3 
• Dried red chilli-5 
• Ginger-1 piece(chopped) 
• Tamarind-a small size 
• Salt-as required 
• Plantain leaves-1 
• Oil 

Preparation:

• Cut and Clean the fish. 
• Make gashes on both sides. 
• Fry grated coconut in a pan. When half fried, add chilly powder. Coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to it and fry until it turns slight brown colour. 
• Fry dried red chilly and onion in oil. 
• Grind the fried coconut with dried red chilly,onion,ginger,green chilly ,tamarind and salt. Cover the mathi with the ground paste and cover it with a plantain leaf and put it to a pan and cover with a lid. 
• Both side is fried within 20 minutes. 
• Tasty mathi polichathu redy 

serve with rice................

Pickled Sardine

Mathi/Chala Achar/Pickled Sardine

Ingredients

• Sardine/Mathi-1 kg
• Garlic-20 cloves (long strips)
• Ginger-2 big pieces (strips)
• Green chilly-15 (slits)
• Curry leaves-4 strings
• Chilly powder-2 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
• Asafoetida powder-less than 1/4tsp
• Fenugreek powder-less than 1/4 tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Mustard seeds-1tsp
• Fenugreek seeds-1/2tsp
• Oil- for frying
• Vinegar-1cup
• Hot Water-2 to 3 cups
• Dry red chilly-5 (slits)

For Marination

• Chilly powder-2 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
• Salt- to taste

Cooking Method

• Choose very small sardines ..Small ones best for pickle than big sardines..
• Cut ,clean and wash them properly using salt and vinegar ..
• Then make gashes on each sides..
• Make a paste of chilly powder,turmeric powder and salt ..Marinate the sardines with this masala ..Keep aside for minimum 15 minutes
• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed non stick pan
• Fry ginger pieces,garlic pieces ,green chilly separately,Keep aside
• Then splutter mustard seeds,fenu greek seeds,dry red chilly and curry leaves one by one
• Then switch off the gas and add all the powders and saute until the raw smell goes..
• Then add vinegar ,boiled water ,salt and roasted ginger-garlic and curry leaves ..Mix well ..Keep aside ..
• Now fry the sardines in batches till they become crisp (dont burn )
• Add all fried fish into the prepared sauce ,mix well and boil well for 10 minutes in medium flame ..
• Check the salt and sourness ..So yummy but simple mathi achar is ready ………….

Beetroot Pachadi

Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients

• Beetroot-2 small
• Cumin Seeds-1/4tsp
• Water-1/2cup
• Curry Leaves-1 string
• Grated Coconut-1/2 of 1
• Green Chilli-1
• Mustard seeds-1/2tsp
• Curd-1cup
• Salt-to taste
• Coconut Oil-1tbsp
• Ginger-very very small piece
• Dry Red Chilli-2

Preparation

• Cut beetroot into medium size pieces and cook by adding 1/4 cup of water and salt in medium flame.
• When cool ,take a blender and blend this cook beetroot for 1 sec ..(coarsely )
• Now grind cumin seeds,1/4 tsp of mustard seeds ,green chilli, ginger ,2 no of curry leaves ,coconut and enough water to a smooth paste ..
• Add this ground paste to the cooked beetroot (ground ) and mix well..
• Allow to boil on low heat .
• Now pour 1cup of thick curd to the blender and just blend .
• Pour this to the gravy and mix well and cook for 1 minute for 1 minute by stirring continuously..
• Add salt to taste 
• Then remove from the heat ..
• Finally splutter mustard seeds,dry red chilly and curry leaves .Add this to the curry and mix well..

Curd Curry

Kachiya Moru

Ingredients:

• Yoghurt/Curd - 500 gms/ml
• Shallots - 4 or 5, sliced (If you do not have shallots, use half of a small onion, finely chopped. But shallots taste better)
• Chopped garlic - 1 tsp
• Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
• Green chilly - 2, chopped
• Dry red chilly - 1 or 2
• Curry leaves - a sprig
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Salt
• Oil - 1 tbsp (preferably coconut oil)

Preparation:

1. Add water to curd and beat it well to the required consistency. It should be thicker than buttermilk. Add salt to it and keep aside.
2. Heat oil and splutter mustard seeds followed by fenugreek seeds.
3. Add shallots, dry chilly, ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves and saute well till you get a nice aroma.
4. Lower the flame to medium-low. Add turmeric powder and the curd and mix well. Switch off the stove when the curry is warm. Do not bring to boil as the curd gets separated.

Serve with rice.

Naan

Homemade Naan

Ingredients:

All purpose flour / Maida - 2 cups + extra for rolling the dough
Active dry yeast - 1 tsp + 3/4 cup of luke warm water
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Baking soda - a pinch
Oil - 2 tbsp
Yoghurt/Curd - 3 tbsp
Butter - to brush on naan

Preparation:

1. Mix the yeast in luke warm water and keep aside for 10mins till it becomes frothy.
2. Add maida, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl and combine well.
3. Add oil and yoghurt to this mix and combine well to form a crumbly mix.
4. Add the yeast water and knead to form a very soft dough. Cover the bowl with a lid and keep it for 2-3 hours till the dough almost doubles.
5. Knead the dough a little more and make 6 equal portions. Roll out each portion to thin oval shape. I rolled them on a plastic sheet to make it easier.
6. Heat a non stick pan / tawa and when it is really hot, transfer the naan. When it starts puffing up, flip over. Cook on both sides till brown.Brush a little butter on top.

Serve hot.

Prawn pickle

Prawn pickle / Shrimp pickle

Ingredients:

Small prawns (Cleaned, peeled and de-veined) - 250 gms
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 1/4 cup

Ginger finely chopped - 1 tbsp
Garlic finely chopped - 1 tbsp
Green chillies - 3, finely chopped
Curry leaves - a sprig
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 3 tbsp + more if required
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Preparation:

1. Wash the prawns well and drain the water completely. Marinate the prawns along with turmeric powder and salt for atleast half an hour. Choose the smallest prawns available. The weight given above is after cleaning and peeling.
2. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the prawns till they are golden and crisp. Drain and keep aside in a glass bowl.
3. In the same oil, add ginger, garlic, green chillies and fry till brown. Add curry leaves and fry it too. Turn off the stove and add chilly powders. Take care not to burn it. Transfer the contents immediately to the bowl of fried prawns.
4. Warm the vinegar and add it along with enough salt to the bowl and mix well.
5. Splutter mustard seeds in a tsp of oil and pour it to the bowl.
6. Dry roast fenugreek seeds and powder it. Add the powder to the bowl and combine well. Keep the pickle in the bowl for a day. If it gets very thick, boil about 1/4cup of water and combine with the pickle. The prawns absorb the liquid and pickle gets thicker.
7. Store in airtight glass jars after the pickle cools downs completely.

Use after 3-4 days...............

Jackfruit Chips

Chakka chips

These chips replace banana chips during summer season in Kerala households. Even if they are identified as snacks for an evening tea, chakka chips are being served in a family meal too.

Ingredients

 1 cup flesh of the jackfruit

 2 cups refined oil

 1/2 tbs salt

Preparation

1. Cut the jackfruit flesh into long pieces. Mix salt in some water and rub the cut pieces with salt water.

2. Heat the oil in a thick bottomed vessel or ‘kadai’. When the oil is hot, pour a handful of the jackfruit pieces into it and deep fry.

3. Remove the fried ones using a strainer. This would drain the oil and transfer the fried chips to your plate.

4. Repeat these steps until all the cut pieces are fried.

Egg Fried Rice

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients :

• 1 and 1/2 cup basmati rice - soaked in water for 15 mins
• 3 eggs - scrambled
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped spring onion
• 1/2 cup capsicum - cut into thin strips ( i have used red and yellow bell peppers)
• 1/4 cup onion - cut into thin strips
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp pepper powder - according to your need
• 2 tsp soya sauce
• 2-3 tsp tomato-chili sauce
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

Method :

• Soak basmati rice in water for 15 mins. Cook 5-6 cup water in a vessel till it boils. Take the soaked rice and drain the water completely. Add rice to the boiling water. Add salt and 2 tsp oil. Mix well and cook it uncovered on medium flame for 10-15 mins till the rice is 90% cooked.
• Remove from the heat and drain the water completely. Spread rice on a plate and keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed kadai . Add minced ginger and garlic. Saute a while.
• Add chopped onions and fry for few seconds. Add chopped carrot, capsicum and spring onion. Cook for 2 mins.
• Add scrambled egg and saute a while. Add soya sauce and tomato-chili sauce. Cook for few seconds.
• Add pepper powder and salt to taste. Adjust the salt  in it. Add cooked rice and stir well. Cook for 2 mins on medium flame. Check the salt and adjust it. Sprinkle chopped spring onion and serve hot.

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