Peanut sesame balls

                                             
This sweet dish made of just three ingredients is not only an offering to the gods but also an ideal food on fasting days. Roasted sesame and peanuts along are brown sugar can pack a lot of energy. In fact, a handful of sesame seeds contain more calcium than a glass of milk. Besides, its high zinc content helps to boosts bone mineral density. Peanuts are also rich in minerals with high concentrations of anti-oxidants. 

Ingredients:

Roasted and husked peanuts - 200gms
Roasted white sesame seeds -50gms  
Powdered brown sugar - 1cup


 
           Roasted white sesame seeds


Method:
Combine everything and grind it coarsely in a blender. Make equal size balls out of it. Store it in an air tight jar.

Note: Roasted and husked almonds can also  be added to this sweet to give that extra crunch.

Banana cheese tango

This is a simple and tasty sweet that can be made with just three ingredients. Kerala banana is one fruit lends itself to various innovations.  Hence, I have tried to bake it with a dash of cheese.  

Ingredients:

Kerala banana – 2

Brown sugar – 4tsps

Grated cheese – 2tsps

Butter for greasing

Method:

Grease an oven proof dish with butter. Slice the bananas and arrange them at bottom of the oven proof dish.

Put the brown sugar over it.  Sprinkle ¼ cup of water.

 Top it with grated cheese. 

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 150°C for 15 minutes.

 Note: Choose ripe but firm Kerala bananas.

 

Chilli pepper balls

Fried dumplings made of chilli peppers are a popular street snack in South India.  It is known as milaga bajji in Tamil and is sold widely on Marina beach and Elliots beach of Chennai. Milaga bajji is prepared by frying chilli peppers that are dipped in chickpea batter. I have given a twist to this recipe by giving it a ball shape.

                                          Chilli peppers
Ingredients:
Chilli peppers/bajji milaga - 4to5
Chick pea flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 4tsps
Chilli powder - 2tsps
Baking soda - 1pinch
Salt and oil - as required
     
Method:
Mix the flours and chilli powder.
Cut the chilli peppers into 1/2 inch rounds. Rub some salt to it and set it aside for few seconds. Then, sprinkle the flour mixture over it.  Add little water and mix till the peppers are coated well. Make round balls out of it and deep fry them in hot oil. When they turn crispy remove on an absorbent paper. Serve it with tomato ketchup.
    

Vengai Kuzhambu (onion curry)

This is a simple and easy to make curry that goes well with steamed rice. It can be eaten along with any stir fried vegetable or pappadam.

Ingredients:
1. Shallots -100gm
2. Tamarind pulp 1- cup
3. Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp
4. Asafoetida powder 1/4 tsp.
5. Sambhar powder- 3tsps
6. Fenugreek powder- 1tsp
7. Mustard seeds- 1tsp
8. Sugar- 2tsps
9. Curry leaves - few
10. Sesame oil - 1tsp.
11. Salt and oil - as required

Method:
Add sugar, salt and two cups of water to the tamarind pulp. Keep it aside.
In a frying pan, heat some oil and add the mustard seeds. When it crackles add the
shallots and fry till it turns brown. Then add the fenugreek powder, asafoetida powder, turmeric powder and the sambhar powder in quick succession. Pour this mixture into the tamarind water. Boil till the shallots are cooked. Check for consistency and salt. Boil again. Garnish with curry leaves and sesame oil.

Vegetable adai

This is an easy to make pancake that can be had for breakfast. It has vegetables like carrot, capsicum and onion to make it nutritious. Other seasonal vegetables like blanched peas and grated cauliflower can also be added to make this pancake. 
Ingredients:
Parboiled rice -1cup
Black gram - 2tsps
Grated carrot - 2tsp
Chopped onion -2tsp
Chopped capsicum -2tsp
Chopped coriander leaves -2tsp
Chopped green chillies -1tsp
Grated coconut - 1tsp (optional)
Salt and oil - As required

                                          other side of the pancake
Method:
Soak the parboiled rice and black gram together for four hours. Grind them to a course paste and ferment it overnight or at least for eight hours.
Mix salt and vegetables to the batter. Check the consistency. It should be in pouring consistency but thicker than dosa batter.
Heat a griddle and grease it well. Pour one ladleful of the batter on it. Spread it out to make a thick pancake. Drizzle little oil on it. Cook on both the sides. Serve with sambhar or tomato sauce.

Banana stem kootu

Banana stem is rich in fiber and is rich in potassium and vitamin B6 just like the fruit. It is believed to have a cooling effect on the body and hence, is recommended in tropical climates.

Ingredients:
1. Banana stem - 400gms
2. Yellow green gram - 1/4cup
3. Turmeric powder -1tsp
4. Grated coconut - 1cup
5. Cumin seeds -2tsps
6. Red chillies - 2
7. Beaten curd -1tsp
8. Sugar - 2tsps
9. Curry leaves - few
10. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
11. Black gram - 1tsp
12. Salt and oil - as required
 

                                         banana stem

Method:
Grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds and red chillies coarsely. Soak the yellow green gram in water for ten minutes. Cut the banana stem into small cubes. Place them in water to which curd has been added. Swirl the water with a fork for few seconds and remove any strings attached to it. Wash and cook in two cups of water along with yellow green gram and turmeric powder. When it becomes soft, add salt and sugar. Cook for few more seconds. Then, add the ground paste and curry leaves. Simmer till is well blended. Garnish with mustard seeds and black gram tempered in oil.

Nei appam

Nei appam or unni appam is a traditional sweet dish of Kerala. This sweet dumpling fried in clarified butter or oil is an offering to the deity in many temples of Kerala, besides the ISKCON temple. This is also prepared during weddings and festivals like Karthigai deepam.

The basic ingredients for making nei appam are brown sugar, rice and clarified butter. However, other ingredients like yellow plantain, wheat flour, black gram and all-purpose flour are also added to make the appam softer.

A special frying pan made of bell metal is used to make this dish. It is heavy and has deep cups in it, which helps to cook the appam evenly. What is more important is that it cooks slowly and fills the kitchen with its sweet aroma.  

Ingredients:

Raw rice -1 cup
Brown sugar -1 cup
Cardamom powder -2tsps
Grated coconut - 2tsps
Clarified butter or oil for frying

Method:
Soak the rice in water for 4 hours. Drain and grind to a smooth paste along with brown sugar. Set it aside for 4 hours. Just before preparing, add the grated coconut and cardamom powder. Check the consistency. It should be in pouring consistency, like dosa batter. Heat the special vessel. When it turns hot pour clarified butter in each of the cup of the vessel. (Fill it lower than the brim of the cup). When the clarified butter reaches near smoking point, reduce the flame to the minimum. Then, pour one ladle of the batter in each cup. Allow it to cook. Turn it and cook on the other side. Pierce it to check if it has cooked in the inside. When it turns golden brown, remove it.