Spicy buttermilk

Buttermilk is the liquid left after removing the butter from cream. I remember my granny churning large volumes of curd every morning to extract butter. Every household in the village she lived did the same. Most of them had a cow or buffalo for milk. They never depended on dairies for milk. In fact, they had access to full cream milk and butter was extracted every day. Then the butter was melted to make clarified butter or ghee. In the process, they were left with large volumes of buttermilk. So, after their daily requirement, the balance buttermilk was spiced and placed in front of their respective houses for free distribution. 
Buttermilk is a thirst quencher and with a pinch of salt, it helps in retaining water in the body. It also helps in keeping the body cool during the summer months.
Here is the recipe for spicy buttermilk.
Ingredients:

Sour curd -2cups
Salt -1/2tsp
Green chillies -1
Ginger paste -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Coriander leaves for garnishing (optional)

Method:
Using a blender beat everything for one minute. Strain it. Dilute and serve chilled.

Appam and stew

Appam is a traditional breakfast recipe of Kerala that uses rice flour and coconut milk. It is also called as vellai appam in some regions. However, one should not confuse appam with chettinad kuzhi paniyaram, which is also called vellai appam.
Appam is served with stew, which is referred to as ishtu in Kerala. It is coconut gravy which has mixed vegetables particularly potato in it.  In fact, stew is also the side dish for nool appam (string hoppers). In Tamilnadu, string hoppers are referred to as idiappam or sevai. In some parts of Kerala, appam is sometimes served with egg curry.
Appam is made in a special deep pan called appachatti that has a lid to cover while cooking. Nowadays, it is substituted with non-stick appachatti pans, which has made the task easier. It can also be made in small frying pans, the way I do.
There are different methods of making appam. Here, I am presenting a simple method to make appam without using yeast and without the appachatti.

Ingredients for Appam:

1. Raw rice - 2cups
2. Coconut milk -1/2cup
3. Eating soda -1tsp
4. Salt to taste

Method:

Grind the rice to a smooth paste using very little water. Keep it aside.
Dilute two tablespoons of this rice batter in one cup of water and thicken it over a medium flame stirring continuously. Cool it. Combine this and coconut milk with the rice paste. Ferment for 18 hours or overnight.
Before making appam add salt and the eating soda. Add water if needed to bring it to pouring consistency. Heat a non-stick frying pan. Pour a ladle full of batter and swirl just once, such that it takes the shape of the pan. Close and cook on one side over a low flame. Remove from pan when the sides turn crispy.

Ingredients for Stew

1. Blanched mixed vegetables -2cups
2. Coconut milk -1cup
3. Slit green chilly -2
4. Onion diced -1/2cup
5. Curry leaves -few
6. Whole cardamom -2
7. Cloves -2
8. Oil and salt -As required

Method:

In a frying pan, fry the cardamom and cloves with some oil. Then add the onions, green chilly and curry leaves. Sauté them till onion changes colour. Add the blanched vegetables and coconut milk. Check for salt. Cook for few seconds and remove from heat.

Note:
Mixed vegetables include carrot, potato and pea.

Vepampoo rasam

Neem flowers are used to make this rasam. Neem flowers are called as vepampoo in Tamil language. Hence, in Tamilnadu it is known as vepampoo rasam. This rasam is usually prepared on the Tamil New Year day and has all the health benefits of neem flower.

Neem flowers are expected to purify the blood by cleaning our intestines of worms and toxins. In India, dried neem flowers are available in organic food stores and in shops that sell ayurvedic medicines. Fresh neem flowers can also be dried in the sun and stored for many months

      Ingredients:
1.    Tomatoes -1/2( cut into two pieces)
2.    Tamarind pulp -1/4cup
3.    Cooked split pigeon pea -3tblsps
4.    Dried neem flower -1tsp
5.    Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
6.    Rasam powder -2tsp
7.    Asafoetida -1/4tsp
8.    Sugar -2tsps
9.    Mustard seeds -1tsp
10.    Clarified butter -1tsp
11.    Salt to taste

Method:
Dilute the tamarind pulp with two cups of water. Cook the tomatoes in it along with the turmeric powder, rasam powder, asafoetida powder, salt and sugar. When the tomatoes turn mushy, add the split pigeon pea and more water. Check the consistency. Simmer for few seconds. Season it with mustard seeds and dried neem leaves fried in clarified butter.

Note:

For rasam powder

Ingredients

1. Coriander seeds -1tsp
2. Black Peppercorns -3tsps
3. Cumin seeds - 1tsp
4. Curry leaves – few (about 10 leaves)
5. Red chillies -10 to 12
6. Asafoetida powder -1tsp 

 Without using oil, toast separately the above ingredients.  Combine them and grind to a smooth powder.

This powder can also be substituted with ready made rasam powder of any brand.

Pakodi kadi (fried dumplings in yogurt gravy)

 Kadi is made with yogurt while pakodi is the fried dumpling made from chick pea flour. This kadi goes well with plain rice or rice stir fried in clarified butter. Pakodi can be substituted with steamed vegetables to make this kadi healthier.

Ingredients:
Chick pea flour -1cup
Beaten curd -2cups
Onion - 2(finely chopped)
Green chillies -2(finely chopped)
Chopped coriander leaves -2tsps
Dried fenugreek leaves -1tsp
Asafoetida -1/4tsp
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Red chilli powder -1/2tsp
Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
Sugar -1tsp
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Method:
Mix one teaspoon of chick pea flour, along with the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar to the beaten curd. Bring it pouring consistency by adding some water if required. Keep it aside.

Combine half the quantity of onion, green chillies and coriander leaves with the chick pea flour. Make stiff dough using as little water as possible. Make small dumplings out of it and deep fry them in oil till it turns crispy and brown. Keep it aside.

Take a frying pan and fry the cumin seeds in one teaspoon of oil. When it begins to crackle add the remaining onion and green chillies. Fry for few seconds. Then add the coriander leaves, dried fenugreek leaves and asafoetida powder. Sauté for another few seconds and drop it into the beaten curd. Bring it to a boil. Remove from the flame and add the fried dumplings. Allow 20 minutes before serving.

Baked soup rice

 Baked soup rice is made with soup powder and grated mozzarella cheese. This creation of mine is quick to make as it bypasses the need for white sauce.

Ingredients:
Cooked long rice - 4cups
Knorr Vegetable soup powder- 1 packet
Grated mozzarella cheese - 1/4 cup
Blanched vegetables - 1/2 cup
Milk -1/2 cup (optional)

Method:
Prepare soup using milk and water as per the procedure mentioned in the packet. Mix the blanched vegetables along with the soup and cooked rice. Allow it to cool completely. Then in a baking dish spread the rice evenly. 
Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 10 to 15 minutes.

Mango ginger pickle

Mango ginger resembles ginger in appearance, but imparts a mango flavour. This rhizome has lot of medicinal properties and is widely used in Ayurveda and unani medicines. It is also used in making pickles, chutneys and other culinary preparations.


Ingredients:
Mango ginger -100gms
Lemon juice -1/2 cup (50ml)
Salt -2tsps
Red chilli powder -25gms

Method:

Skin and chop the mango ginger into fine pieces. Add all the other ingredients. Mix well and store it under refrigeration.