Nei choru literally means ghee rice in Malayalam language. This mildly spiced rice is a traditional dish from the regions of Malabar in Kerala. Nei choru can be conveniently packed as lunch for school going kids. It is easy to make and tastes divine. Some restaurants serve this rice as cashew nut pulao.
It can be eaten along with any gravy or alone with some curd based dip (raita).
Ingredients:
Samba jeera rice -2cups
Cardamom -3
Cloves 2
Bay leaf -1
Chopped onion -1cup
Pepper powder -2tsps
Cumin powder -1tsp
Cashew nuts -1/2cup
Clarified butter -4tblsps
Sugar -1/2tsp (optional)
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash the rice and cook it in a pressure cooker along with cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and salt in 3 cups of water. Remove from cooker and cool it for 10 minutes. (This will prevent the rice from sticking to each other). In a wide pan fry the cashew nuts in little clarified butter. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan fry the chopped onions along with the sugar. When the onions turn brown, add the rice, pepper powder and cumin powder. Stir fry for few seconds till it is blended well. Garnish with cashew nuts. Serve it with lady's finger pachadi.
This halwa is healthy as it uses less fat, skimmed milk powder and the natural sweetness of beetroot. I have used sugar substitute too to make it low on calorie count.
Ingredients:
Grated beetroot -300gms
Skimmed milk powder -100gms
Sugar substitute - 4tblsps
Cardamom powder-1tsp
Clarified butter -3 tablespoons
Cashew nuts-50gm
Water-1/2cup
Salt -1/4tsp
Method:
In a non-stick pan fry the cashews nuts in little clarified butter. Remove and keep it aside.
In the same pan place the grated beetroot, salt and water. Close and cook for few minutes. When the beetroot turns soft add the skimmed milk powder, sugar substitute and the balance clarified butter. Cook over a low flame stirring continuously till all the water has evaporated. Then, switch of the flame and add the cardamom powder. Garnish with fried cashews.
Guruvayor Temple Decorated for Onam.
I wish all the readers a very happy and properous onam. Onam is the
only festival in Kerala which is celebrated by all irrespective of any
caste, creed or religion. The key to this ‘harvest festival’ of the
state is the preparation of Onam Sadhya (grand vegetarian lunch
served on a banana leaf). It also reminds us of the vamana avatar of
lord Vishnu and the visit of king Mahabali from patala
(underworld). Interestingly, the birthday of Sri Padmanaban (the
presiding deity of Thiruvananthapuram temple ) also falls on this day - (TheThiruonam day of Chingam)
Vegetable dum briyani is a delicacy of the Mughlai cuisine, where semi cooked rice is sandwiched between spicy vegetable gravy and cooked in dum or baked to perfection. Dum cooking involves cooking half cooked rice in a wide mouth pan over a bed of hot coal. The lid of the pan is sealed with paste made of wheat flour, so that the steam does not escape. It helps in even cooking besides retaining the rich flavours of the spices and vegetables.
Ingredients:
For the rice:
Basmati rice (long rice) -2cups
Cinnamon stick - 1 small piece
Cloves - 3
Cardamom -2
Method:
Cook the rice along with cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom in 2 cups of water. When it is 75% cooked, take away from the flame. (Rice need not be soaked in water). Keep it aside.
For the gravy:
Carrots -2
Green peas -1/2cup
Beans -few
Cottage cheese -50gm
Garlic paste -1tsp
Ginger paste -1tsp
Garam masala powder -1tsp
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Chopped onion -1cup
Chopped green chillies -1tsp
Chopped coriander leaves -2tsps
Chopped mint leaves -1tsp
Curd -1/2cup
Salt and oil -as required
Method:
Cut the carrots and beans length wise. Cube the cottage cheese. In a frying pan, stir fry the onions and chillies in little oil. When it turns translucent add the two pastes. Stir fry for few seconds then add the two powders, vegetables and salt. Add half cup water. Close and cook till done. Next add the cottage cheese pieces and curd. Continue cooking for few more seconds.
Keep it aside.
For garnishing:
Cashew nuts -1/4 cup
Finely sliced onions -1/2cup
Clarified butter - 2tsps
Sugar -1/2tsp
Coriander leaves -1/2tsp
After adding the garnishing
Method:
Chop and fry the cashew nuts in little clarified butter. Remove from the pan. In the same pan fry the onions along with the sugar till it turns dark brown in color. Keep it aside.
To prepare the biryani:
In an oven proof dish spread one part of the gravy. Sprinkle little coriander and mint leaves. Then spread one part of the rice. Top it with another layer of the gravy. Sprinkle mint and coriander leaves. Spread the other part of the rice. Cover and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with fried cashew nuts, browned onion and coriander leaves. Serve hot with onion capsicum pachadi.
There are many types of sweet pickles, which are in Guajarati households. There are sweet pickles made from lemon, citron, Indian gooseberry and ginger besides mango. Some are hot and sweet, while others are just sweet. Some pickles are sweetened with brown sugar and some with white sugar. Each one is unique in its taste and can be preserved for the whole year.
Spicy sweet mango pickle is known as chundo or chunda in Guajarati language. Traditionally, this pickle is prepared by sun drying the sweetened grated mango to a syrupy consistency. However, it can also be prepared without the sun. Here, I am presenting the second method of preparing chunda.
Ingredients:
Raw green mango -250gm
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Salt -1tsp
Sugar -150gms
Chilli powder -2tsps
Cumin powder -1tsp
Method:
Wash and grate the mango along with the skin. Rub turmeric powder and salt to it. Set it aside for 10 minutes. The mango would have released lot of water by then. Cook the mango along with the liquid for few seconds till it turns slightly soft. Then add the sugar. Keep cooking it over high flame till all the water is absorbed. Remove from the flame and add chilli and cumin powder.
Note:
The mangoes must green and raw without even a tinge of yellow.
Indian goose berry is known as amalika in Sanskrit and amla in Hindi. In Tamil language it is known as nellikai. This berry is considered to be a rich source of Vitamin C and antioxidants. No wonder that it is included in herbal health preparations like “Triphala” and “Chyawanprash”
Bottled preserve
This berry is usually available in abundance during winter. Hence, it is preserved in brine water or in sugar syrup or in powder form for later use. Interestingly, the vitamin C content in it is not lost during such preservations.
Indian gooseberry
Amala murabba is a sweet preserve made with Indian goose berry and sugar. It is also known as Murabb-e-Amla in Unani. This sweet preparation stays for over a year under hygienic conditions without refrigeration. It can be had alone or served as side dish for flat breads and rice.
Boiled gooseberry
Ingredients:
Indian goose berry -250gms
Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
Sugar - 150gms
Cardamom powder -1tsp
Citric acid or lemon juice -1tsp
Method:
Wash and boil the goose berries in water along with turmeric powder till it turns soft. Drain the water. Remove the seeds and break it into small pieces.
In another pan combine the sugar with 1 cup of water. Boil them and make syrup of one thread consistency. Then add the berry pieces and the citric acid crystals. (The syrup may begin to dilute at this stage, do not worry). Keep cooking till it reaches syrupy consistency. Add the cardamom powder. Cool and preserve it in clean glass bottles.
Flat breads made of just whole wheat flour require a side dish to go with it. However, when some finely chopped seasonal vegetables are added to the whole wheat flour to make flat breads, it does not require any dish. Besides, it tastes great and healthy too. Mixed vegetable paratha is also an excellent lunch box option for fussy kids who avoid eating vegetables.
Ingredients:
Whole wheat flour - 3cups
Grated carrot - 3tsps
Grated cheese -1tsp
Chopped capsicum - 3tsps
Chopped onion - 6tsps
Chopped coriander leaves -2tsps
Blanched and mashed green peas -2tsps
Chopped green chillies - 1tsp
Cumin powder -1tsp
Salt and oil -as required
Method:
Combine all the ingredients except oil. Prepare stiff dough using little water. Set it aside for just five minutes not more. Knead again using little oil and divide it equally. Roll each part into balls. Using a rolling pin, roll out each ball into thin flat breads. Heat a griddle and toast the flat breads on both sides using little oil. Serve hot with cheese spread or tomato sauce.
Note:
Other vegetables like cabbage, crushed sweet corn and spring onions can also be added to make this paratha.
Monsoon is in the air and this calls for some soup that is tasty and refreshing. Here is a soup made of corn and cheese, which is rich in fibre and calcium.
Ingredients:
Corn kernels -1cup
Green chillies -1
Coriander leaves - 2tsps
Grated cheese -1/4 cup
Garlic powder -2tsps
Milk -1/2 cup (optional)
Method:
Grind the corn kernels, green chillies and coriander leaves into a smooth paste. Combine the paste with garlic powder, half the cheese, salt and milk. Add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Remove from flame and stir in the balance cheese. Serve hot with bread sticks or toast.
Note:
If you are avoiding milk add equal quantity of water before boiling the soup.
