VazhaChundu / Banana Flower Cutlet

Vazhachundu / Vazhapoo / Banana flower cutlet is a very simple and healthy recipe. In this recipe I didn't use too much ingredients. I just used the basic ingredients needed for making the cutlet.When you want a change in your daily menu try this. I tried to make it healthy as possible. Even the frying part. I used "grape seed oil" for frying. It is the most healthiest oil ideal for frying and has light taste. Cutlet can be served with rice or can be eaten at snack time.

Number of cutlets- 8-10

Ingredients:
Chundu/ Banana flower/ Banana Blossom -1
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Gram Masala - 1/2-3/4 tsp
Onion- 1
Green Chilly -3
Ginger - 1 piece
Curry leaves
Potato - 1
Egg -1
Bread crumbs- 1/2 cup
Oil

Method:

• Peel off the outer layers of the chundu / Banana flower and chop the inner layer nicely. 
• Put it in starch water of rice ( kanji velam ) or diluted buttermilk and rinse well. (When I don't have buttermilk or kanji velam I just rinse it in water.)
• Cook the potato in a sauce pan with enough water. Peel off the skin.
• Chop onion, green chilly, ginger and curry leaves in a chopper or by hand.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the onion, green chilly, ginger and curry leaves. 
• When the onion becomes transparent, add the chopped and drained chundu / banana flower, gram masala, turmeric powder and salt. Mix it. Cover and cook. Switch off the flame when it is cooked well.
• Add the mashed potato into it. Mix well. 
• Shape it into cutlet. 
• Beat one egg. Dip the cutlet into egg and then roll it in bread crumbs. Shape it.
• Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the cutlet on both sides.

Source: My mother

Kadala Curry- Kerala Style ( Chick peas/ Chana in coconut milk and with sliced coconut

Puttu and Kadala Curry is one of the favorite and common traditional breakfast combination of a malayalee (Keralite). Kadala Curry is also a good combination with chappathi, appam, idiyappam. When I make it I make little extra so that it will go with one night dinner ( With Chappathi ) and next day's breakfast ( With Puttu). There is a proverb in Malayalam "ഒരു വെടിക് രണ്ടു പക്ഷി" - " Killing two birds with one bullet". Similarly with one dish I serve both breakfast and dinner.
Well, In this recipe you can see that I used two cups of Kadala and it serves 8-10 persons. What happened is that I made little more extra so that I can give it to my neighbor and one of my husband's colleague. Me and my neighbor "S.." have a habit of exchanging food. It all started when I became pregnant with my second kid. She used to feel sympathetic to me, seeing me struggling with my 2 year old naughty and restless son and doing cooking and other household chores. And I used to feel guilty to take it from her. She is a working lady works 5 days and cook on week-ends. And I being a house wife sitting at home. So I used to return her food containers with some dishes  when ever I can. And this episode still continues.

Well, "S.." and her husband gave me a "good" feed back about this dish. And told me that I should definitely put this in my blog. And she asked me for the recipe with exact measurement. Now a days since I started a blog I usually use measuring spoons and measuring cups so that I can post exact measurements. Earlier it was just pouring it from my 'spice containers' tuck.... tuck... tuck.... Sometimes spices/ masala will be little bit more or little bit less. Here, goes exact measurement. I am little bit confused about 'Perumjeerakam powder' I added. Whether it was 1/2 tsp or 1 tsp. Rest measurements are fine.

Serves - 8-10

Ingredients:

1) Chana / Kadala / Chick peas - 2 cup

2) Sliced Big Onion - 1-1 1/2

3) Chopped Garlic- 1 pod

4) Chopped Ginger - 1 piece

5) Green Chilly -3

6) Sliced Coconut - 1/2 cup

7) Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp

8) Chilly Powder - 1 tsp

9) Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp

10) Gram Masala - 1- 1 1/4 tsp

11) Perumjeerakam powder (Ground fennel seeds) - 1/2- 3/4 tsp

12) Coconut Milk - 1 tin

13) Mustard seeds

14) Oil

15) Curry leaves

16) Salt

Method:

• Soak the chana in water overnight or 6-8 hrs.
• Heat oil in pressure cooker. When the oil is hot, splutter the mustard seeds.
• Add Sliced onion, ginger, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves. Saute occasionally.
• When the onion turns brown, add chilly powder, coriander powder, perumjeerakam,  Gram masala, turmeric powder. Saute continuously. When the roasted masala aroma comes add chick peas/ Chana/ Kadala, Salt and sliced coconut. Pour water enough to cover the chana. Stir.
• Close the pressure cooker and when the steam comes out put on the weight. Remove from the flame after 3-4 whistle. Wait for the pressure to get over. Or put the pressure cooker under running cold water. When the pressure is over, open the pressure cooker.
• Add coconut milk to it. Stir. Bring the dish to boil and turn off the flame.

Broccoli Thoran (Stir fry with coconut)

Broccoli Thoran  is something you can make it  in minutes. This is a side dish I make with rice when I don't have much time to cook. Broccoli is also a very nutritious vegetable with high Vitamin C, as well as dietary fiber. It also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties.

Serves 3-4


Ingredients:
1) Broccoli - 1 bunch
2) Grated Coconut - 1/2 -3/4 cup
3) Green chilly - 1
4) Pearl Onions -2
5) Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
6) Curry leaves
7) Mustard seeds
8) Salt
9) Oil


Method:

• Chop florets of broccoli nicely.
• Grind roughly grated coconut, Pearl Onions, green chilly and curry leaves
• Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds.
• Add the curry leaves and broccoli. Stir. Mix the grind ingredients and salt. Close the lid. Stir occasionally removing the lid. Cook for 1-2 minutes and serve.

Note:

• Before cooking I usually soak broccoli in cold water mixed with 1 tsp of vinegar . This step kills the worms if any.
• You can omit the 3rd step if you need a really healthy recipe without oil.

Kovakka / Tindora / Ivy Gourd Mezhukkuppuratti (Stir fry)

Kovakka / Tindora / Ivy Gourd is a tropical vine and the vegetable is a good source of several micro-nutrients , including Vitamin A and beta-carotene. It also has lot of medicinal value and it is used in Ayurveda in the treatment of many diseases. Recent studies shows that it helps in regulating blood sugar level and so it is now sometimes prescribed to diabetic patients. So, diabetic patients crunch some   Ivy Gourd daily or use it in the curry like this instead of drinking Bitter-Gourd juices.

Ingredients:
1) Tindora / Kovakkai / Ivy Gourd - 1/2 kg (Cut lengthwise)
2) Green Chilly- 4 ( Slit lengthwise)
3) Sliced Onion- 1/2
4) Pepper powder - 1 tsp
5) Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
6) Mustard seeds
7) Curry leaves
8) Oil
9) Salt

Method:

• Mix with hands the Kovakkai / Tindora with turmeric powder and salt.
• Heat oil in a pan. When it is hot, add mustard seeds. After it popped up add onions,green chilly, curry leaves.
• When the onions starts turning brown, add the pepper powder. Saute. Add Tindora/ Ivy Gourd / Kovakka. Saute well. Cover with lid. Remove the lid and stir occasionally. Tindora will start loosing its texture. Cook it till it gets wrinkled up and starts turning black. (check the pic).

Cherupayar / Green Gram Thoran (Stir fry with grated coconut)

Green Gram/ Cherupayar is very nutritious food rich in protein and is very good to include it in the diet of pregnant, breast- feeding moms, kids and sick people. I was down with flu last week and I craved for some kanji and cherupayar thoran. This recipe is also a very easy and quick recipe to make when we are sick and we don't have much energy to cook.

Ingredients:

1) Green Gram/ Cherupayar- 1 cup
2) Grated coconut - 3/4-1 cup
3) Shallot - 3-4
4) Garlic - 3 cloves
5) Green chilly -2
6) Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
7) Pepper Powder - 1/2-1 tsp
8) Red chilly (optional)
9) Salt
10) Mustard seeds
11) Oil

Method:

• Soak Green gram / cherupayar in water overnight or 3-4 hours.
• Pressure cook Green gram / Cherupayar with enough water (water covering green gram) for 3-4 whistles. 
• Grind gently Grated coconut, Garlic, Shallot, Green chilly, Turmeric powder.
• Add it to cooked green gram. Add salt. Cover it and cook for 1 min. 
• Remover the cover and mix well.
• Heat oil in large pan and add mustard seeds.
• When it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and red chilly.Saute.
• Add Green gram, Pepper powder and adjust the salt. Mix well.
• Cook for 2-3 min , stir ring occasionally. Remove from flame. 

Beetroot and Beetrootleaves Thoran

It is been a while since I have posted something. I had a busy and stressful week-end. I was not feeling well and in between my youngest son had a fall and started vomiting in the middle of the night. If a child hit his head in a fall and starts vomiting in 24 hrs it is not a good sign. You should consult your doctor immediately. There may be a chance of bleeding in brain and in such case a emergency operation should be done to save the child.(I am writing this for new moms. I didn't knew these things before I had a baby ).Since our doctor was out of town,we took him to the emergency care. They examined him and  fortunately he was fine. It was just a concussion of the fall. I hope this post help some new moms or mothers-to-be. Other bad signs to watch for in 24 hrs after the fall are- crying uncontrollably after you did everything to sooth him, walking like a drunkard, pupil been dial acted, if he blacks out, lose of appetite. 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical person, these information is from a mother of two children.You should always consult a doctor.

Well, here goes a recipe. This is very healthy recipe. I didn't add even one tsp of oil in this. I used both beetroot and its leaves. We can cook beetroot leaves like we cook spinach. Recipe follows:

Ingredients:

1) Beetroot together with leaves( see the pic below)

2) Grated coconut- 1 and 1/2 cup

3) Small onions -2-3

4) Green chilly -2

5) Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

6) Salt

Method:

• Wash beetroot and its leaves with plenty of water. There may be sand particles here and there.
• Chop the leaves, stem and beetroot. 
• In a food processor, mixie or chopper , add grated coconut, onions, green chilly and turmeric powder. Grind gently.
• Take a sauce pan and add the vegetables. Sprinkle some salt and add the grind ingredients. Add   little water if neccessary. Cover and cook for 1 min. Then cook uncovered till the water dries up.

Kappa Vevichathu (Tapioca )

"Kappa and Fish curry" is one of the favorite combination of Kottayam side. It can be served any time of the day- breakfast, lunch, snack , dinner. I sometimes make it for dinner when we need a change.

Ingredients:
1.Tapioca - 2 Lb (908 gm) ( 1 'daily delight' packet)

For Grinding
2. Grated Coconut - 1 cup
3. Green chilly - 2
4. Small onions - 2
5. Garlic- 1 slice
6. Cumin- 1/4-1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

• Boil tapioca with salt and  lots of water. Drain all the water when it is cooked. 
• Add little water and grind-ed ingredients. Mix well
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When it is popped, add curry leaves and red chilly.
• Add it into tapioca and mix well.

Kuttucurry- My own recipe

Lent season.... time to try out new vegetarian dishes. This dish was the outcome of my experiment. 

Ingredients:
1.Chana/ Chickpeas / Kadala -  1/2- 1cup (I added 1 cup because I like lot of chickpeas in kuttucurry)
2.Carrot (diced) -2
3.Potato (diced) - 1
4.Zucchini (diced)- 1
5.Raw Banana (diced) - 1
6.Ginger - 1 piece
7.Pepper powder - 1 tsp
8.Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
9.Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Salt
11. Curry leaves
12. Coconut oil - 1-2 tbsp

For grinding:
Grated Coconut - 1- 1 1/4 cup
Green chilly - 1
Cumin- 1 tsp

Method:

• Pressure cook chana with enough water  for 3-4 whistles or until cook.
• Cook the vegetables with ginger, pepper powder, Chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt.
• Add cooked chana and mix well.
• Add the grind-ed ingredients and cook with the lid closed for 2-3 minutes.
• Heat coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. After it is popped add 1 tbsp of grated coconut, Red chilly and curry leaves. Saute well.
• When the grated coconut turn brown add it into the kuttucurry. Mix well.