Quinoa Upma (Serves 2)

Ingredients

1. Quinoa 1 cup, cooked according to package instructions
2. Onion 1 small, finely chopped
3. Green chilly 1, finely chopped
4. Carrot 1 small, finely chopped
    Potato 1 small, finely chopped
    Green peas ¼ cup, I used frozen
5. Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
6. Garam masala ¼ tsp
7. Mustard seeds ½ tsp
    Fennel seeds 2 pinches
    Urad dal ¼ tsp
    Chana dal ¼ tsp
    Asafetida a pinch
8. Grated coconut ¼ cup
9. Oil 2 tsp
10. Salt as needed

Preparation

• Cook the quinoa according to package instructions and set aside.
• Steam the carrots, peas and potato and set aside. I generally add ¼ cup of water with the veggies to a microwave safe dish and steam for 5-6 minutes.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and splutter mustard seeds, followed by fennel seeds, urad dal, chana dal and asafetida.
• Add the onions, green chilly and salt and saute till golden brown.
• Next throw in the steamed veggies, turmeric powder, garam masala and mix well.
• Add in the cooked quinoa and mix well to incorporate. Adjust salt if needed and cook covered for 3 minutes.
• Switch off flame and mix in the grated coconut. Serve hot with pappad, pickle, banana etc..

Cheers!!!
Suji

Simple Coconut rice (Serves 4)

Ingredients

1. Cooked white rice 2 ½ cups
2. Thick coconut milk 1 ¾ cup
3. Grated coconut ½ cup + 2 TBSP
4. Sugar 1 tsp
5. Lime zest 1 tsp
6. Salt as required
7. Cilantro to garnish

Preparation

• Roast 2 TBSP grated coconut until golden brown in color and set aside.
• Now in a wide mouth pan, warm the coconut milk along with sugar, salt and lime zest.
• Add the cooked rice, mix well and add the grated coconut.
• Cook this until dry at low heat and transfer to a serving plate.
• Garnish with roasted coconut and cilantro.
• Serve with any kind of spicy curries of your choice.
• Try this yummy coconut rice with chicken kuruma, chicken in roasted coconut gravy from this blog!

Cheers!!!
Suji

Pearl onion relish

Ingredients

1. Red pearl onions 20 nos, quartered
2. Ginger 1 tsp, julienned
3. Green chilly 2 small, thinly sliced to rounds
4. Freshly squeezed lime juice from 1 small lime
5. Mustard seeds ½ tsp
6. Olive oil 1 tsp
7. Salt as needed

Preparation

• Peel the skin off the pearl onions, wash and cut them to quarters.
• In a nonstick pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.
• Add the ginger and green chilly and sauté until raw smell goes off.
• Add the pearl onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Adjust salt.
• Next add the lime juice and combine well.
• Remove from flame and enjoy as a side for rice or as a filling in burgers and sandwiches.
• Stays good for 2 days in refrigerator.

Cheers!!!
Suji

Chocolate chilly pudding (Serves 6)

Ingredients

1. Half and half 2 cups
    Cinnamon stick 1 no
2. Semi-sweet chocolate bar 4 oz
3. Egg yolks 5, lightly beaten
4. Sugar 1/3 cup
5. Vanilla essence 1 tsp
6. Kashmiri chilly powder ¾ tsp
7. Salt a pinch

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Also put 2-3 cups of water for boiling.
• In a sauce pan, heat half and half along with cinnamon stick until bubbling. Switch off flame and add the semi-sweet chocolate bar and keep for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and whisk everything until smooth. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
• In another bowl, add egg yolks, sugar, vanilla essence and chilly powder. Whisk this until everything combines well. Slowly add the chocolate mixture and blend until mixed.
• Pour this mixture into 6 ramekins or custard cups until 3/4^th full. Place this onto a 9*13 baking dish and pour the boiling water about 1-2 cms up the sides of the ramekins.
• Bake for an hour and allow to cool for 15 minutes on counter top. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours and serve.

 

 

 

Cheers!!!
Suji

Chilly fish (serves 4)

A great addition to your fish recipe collection. Easy to prepare with everyday ingredients and is a great party sidedish. Hope you all will enjoy making this delicious Chilly fish!

Ingredients

1. Fish ½ kg, cleaned and cut to medium size pieces (I used Tilapia)
2. Corn flour 2 TBSP
    Red chilly powder ¾ tsp
    Black pepper powder ¼ tsp
    Tomato sauce 2 tsp +1 TBSP
    Soy sauce 1 tsp+1tsp
3. Onion 1 medium, cubed
4. Green bell pepper 1 medium, cubed
5. Ginger, garlic 1 TBSP each, finely chopped
6. Green chilly 2 small, slit
7. Vinegar 1 tsp
8. Sugar ½ tsp
9. Salt as needed
10. Oil 1 TBSP + for deep frying
11. Water 1 cup
Green onions chopped to garnish

Preparation

• In a bowl, add ingredients numbered 2 and mix well to make a paste. Sprinkle water if needed. Add fish pieces and mix well to combine. Make sure all the pieces are coated well with the batter. Set aside for 15 minutes and deep fry in oil till deep golden color. Drain excess oil on a paper towel and set aside.
• Now in a deep bottomed pan/wok add 1 TBSP oil and sauté ginger, garlic and green chilly for 2 minutes.
• Add onions and green bell pepper and sauté at medium heat until the onions are translucent.
• Next add the vinegar, sugar, 1 TBSP tomato sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce and cook for another 4 minutes. Add 1 cup water and allow to boil. Adjust salt if necessary.
• Once boiling, add the fried fish pieces and cook at low flame for 10 more minutes.
• Serve this delicious chilly fish gravy with any kind of rice preparations or rotis…

Cheers!!!
Suji

Soya chunks fried rice (Serves 4)

Ingredients

1. Soya chunks/Nutrela 1 cup
2. Cooked basmati rice/any left over white rice 2 ½ cups, preferably refrigerated
3. Onion ½ cup, finely chopped
    Green bell pepper ½ cup, finely chopped
    Carrot 1, finely chopped
4. Black pepper powder 1 tsp, divided
5. Soy sauce 4 TBSP + 1 TBSP
6. Red chilly sauce (optional) 1 tsp
7. Salt as required
8. Oil/Butter 2 TBSP, divided

Preparation

• Wash the soya chunks 3 times under running water. Soak them in water for 20 minutes. Drain the water and then boil the soya chunks for 10 minutes on stove top. Drain the water again and allow to cool down. Squeeze out extra water, and add 1 TBSP soy sauce and ½ tsp pepper powder. Mix and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Heat a large wok or pan with 1 TBSP oil/butter at medium heat and roast the soya chunks for 5 minutes and transfer to a bowl.
• In the same wok or pan add rest of the oil/butter at medium heat and sauté ingredients numbered 3 for 5 minutes. Add salt and reduce flame to low.
• Next add the rest of pepper powder, soy sauce and red chilly sauce. Mix well and add the rice.
• Turn back heat to high and mix well until the rice get heated through. Add the soya chunks and mix well. Serve the soya chunk fried rice with chilly chicken or any of curry of your choice.

Cheers!!!
Suji

Shrimp Bites (Serves 4)

Ingredients

1. Shrimp ¼ kg, shelled and deveined
    Garlic 2 cloves
2. Green onions (Scallions) 4 stalks, finely chopped
3. All purpose flour ½ cup
4. Red chilly powder ½ tsp
5. Black pepper powder ½ tsp
6. Salt as needed
7. Oil for deep frying

Preparation

• Blend together cleaned shrimp and garlic for 4-5 pulses using a blender.
• Transfer this to a bowl and add all other ingredients. Combine well to mix.
• Heat oil for frying and drop spoonful of batter to hot oil and fry until crisp about 2 minutes.
• Serve warm with creamy garlic sauce.

Creamy garlic sauce

Ingredients

Garlic 2 cloves
All purpose flour 2 tsp
Milk ½ cup
Shredded mozzarella cheese 2 TBSP
Butter 1 TBSP
Salt as needed

Preparation

• Crush the garlic using a mortar and pestle.
• Heat the butter in a pan and roast crushed garlic until aroma develops.
• Add the maida and cook for a minute.
• Follow up with milk and salt. Cook until a thick saucy consistency is attained. Add cheese and switch off flame.
• Serve hot.

Cheers!!!
Suji

Masala Macaroni (Serves 4)

Ingredients

1. Macaroni 1 lb, cooked al dente according to package instructions
2. Green peas ¼ cup, chopped
    Green beans ¼ cup, chopped
    Carrots ¼ cup, chopped
    Cabbage ¼ cup, chopped
    Mushrooms ¼ cup, chopped
    Green onions ¼ cup, chopped
    White onions ¼ cup, chopped
3. Tomato 2 big, finely chopped
4. Ginger, garlic 1 TBSP each, finely chopped
5. Tomato ketch up 1 TBSP
6. Cilantro ½ cup, chopped
7. Garam masala 2 tsp
8. Oil 1 TBSP
9. Salt as needed

Preparation

• Heat oil in deep pan/wok and sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant.
• Add ingredients numbered 2 and cook for 6 minutes at medium flame.
• Add garam masala and salt and sauté for another 2 minutes.
• Next add the chopped tomatoes and mix well. Cook this for 15 minutes or until oil separates.
• Mix in the tomato ketch up and add the cooked macaroni. Mix well and cooked on high heat for a minute and remove from flame.
• Garnish with cilantro, green onions and serve.

Notes: You can add 1 cup of any cheese of your choice before removing from flame. Sharp cheddar and mozzarella works the best!

Cheers!!!
Suji

Stuffed mushrooms with fish (Serves 4)

Ingredients

1. Medium size mushrooms 20 nos
2. Shredded fish (can use any kind of fleshy fish) ¾ cup cooked
3. Green bell pepper ½ cup , finely chopped
4. White bulb part of green onions ¼ cup, finely chopped reserve green part for garnish)
5. Cream cheese, softened to room temperature ½ cup
6. Bread crumbs ½ cup
7. Thyme chopped 1 tsp
8. Black pepper powder 1 tsp
9. Garam masala powder 1/4 tsp
10. OIl 1 TBSP
11. Salt, Green onions to garnish

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 400 F
• Wash and wipe the mushrooms well with a damp cloth. Cut the stem off and chop finely. Arrange the mushroom caps onto a baking tray lined with aluminum foil.
• In a pan, heat oil and sauté the finely chopped green bell pepper, mushroom stems, white part of green onions and thyme for 5 minutes.
• Add the pepper powder and garam masala and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the fish followed by bread crumbs. Mix well to combine. Adjust salt if necessary.
• Switch off flame and allow to cool.
• Once cooled, add the softened cream cheese to this and combine well.
• Stuff the mushroom caps with this mixture and top off with some bread crumbs. Gently spray with cooking oil and bake in pre heated oven for 15-20 minutes until the top part is browned.
• Remove from oven and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve warm.

Notes: Cook the fish with salt and little turmeric powder.
You can stuff the caps ahead of time and refrigerate. Stay good for 24 hours.

Cheers!!!
Suji

Spicy baked sweet potato wedges (Serves 4)

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut to wedges
½ teaspoon Kashmiri chilly powder
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200 C.

Peel and wash the sweet potatoes. Pat dry and cut to wedges.

In a bowl add the wedges and all other ingredients. Toss well and set aside for 5 minutes.

Spray a baking sheet with oil and arrange the wedges in a single layer.

Bake for 30 minutes turning half way through. Change the oven to broil mode for the last 2 minutes to get a crispy texture.

Serve immediately.

Cheers!!!
Suji

Salmon spread (Serves 4)

Cooked, shredded salmon ¾ cup (I used 2 small fillets and cooked with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt)
Green bell pepper ½ cup, finely chopped
Mushroom ¼ cup, chopped
Green onion bulbs ¼ cup, chopped
Cream cheese ½ cup, softened
Thyme 1 tsp, chopped
Black pepper powder ½ tsp
Garam masala ½ tsp
Olive oil 1 tsp
Salt to season
Green onion stalks to garnish
Bread slices

Preparation

In a bowl add the softened cream cheese and olive oil. Mix well to combine. Now add all the other ingredients and mix.

Heat a frying pan and toast the bread slices on one side. Spread the salmon mixture evenly on the toasted side of a slice and top with the other. Toast on both sides. Serve warm.

This can be used as a dip for crackers and chips.

Cheers!!!
Suji

Lima beans kuruma (Serves5)

Tired of the regular curries for chappathis? Try this one friends, a new, easy and delicious side dish that goes absolutely well with rotis and even rice …

Baby lima beans 1 lb packet, frozen
Red onion 1 medium, diced
Tomato 1 medium, diced
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Red chilly powder ½ tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam masala ½ tsp
Grated coconut ¼ cup
Peanuts ¼ cup
Salt as needed
Oil 2 tsp
Water 2 cups

Preparation

Grind together grated coconut and peanuts in a blender to a smooth paste. Set aside.

In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tsp oil and sauté ginger garlic paste till light brown color and add cubed onions. Cook this until onions are translucent. Add the powders and mix well to combine. Cook for another 3-4 minutes at medium heat and add the diced tomato. Sauté this until oil separates. Next throw in the lima beans and mix well. Add the ground coconut peanut paste, combine well and add 2 cups water and enough salt. Cover the cooker with a lid and cook till 1 whistle. Switch off flame and allow pressure to release by itself. Open lid and give a final mix. Enjoy with rotis or rice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes: If you think that the gravy is runny, cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes. This curry tends to thicken as it sits.

Cheers!!!
Suji

Oats puttu (Serves 2)

Here is a perfect blend of health and taste. Malayalis favorite breakfast adapts to the new rage of health consciousness sweeping our breakfast table, namely Oats. On our last visit to Kerala we heard complaints from some of our elderly folks about how they were forced to eat oats as their breakfast and how the tongues used to idli, dosa and puttu couldn’t adapt to it. So here is a solution I showed them and now to you friends as to how you can bring oats into our usual breakfast..

Rolled oats 2 cups
Grated coconut 2-3 TBSP
Salt as needed
Water as needed

Preparation

Dry roast the oats at medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool and using a blender, powder the oats. You can either make it coarse or fine powder to your preference. Now add salt and wet the oats by adding little water at a time and mixing simultaneously. Break the lumps if any using hands and set aside for 3-4 minutes. Now in a puttu maker (I used a coconut shell shaped one), add a thin layer of grated coconut followed by the wet oats and some coconut to top off. Cover and steam this for about 5 minutes as you do for the regular rice puttu (using a pressure cooker or the traditional puttu mould) and serve warm with kadala curry, green peas masala, pappad or even banana..

Notes: It will be a little difficult to wet the oats as they stick together pretty fast. If you find it really challenging, add water directly to the blender, may be about 1-2 TBSP at a time and pulse for a few times which works well too.

Cheers!!!
Suji

Prawns pappas pasta (Serves 4)

Any kind of pasta one 16 oz pack, cooked al dente (see package instructions)
Green onions 1 cup, chopped
Broccoli 1 cup, cut to florets
Oil 1 tsp

Prawns pappas

For marinating

Prawns 1 lb, deveined and cleaned
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Red chilly powder ½ tsp
Garam masala ¼ tsp
Salt as needed
Lime juice 1 tsp

Marinate the cleaned, deveined prawns with all the above ingredients for at least 30 minutes.

Red onion 1 small, thinly sliced
Garlic pods 2 nos, chopped
Ginger 1 TBSP, chopped
Fenugreek powder ¼ tsp
Red chilly powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Tamarind paste 1 tsp
Thick coconut milk ½ cup
Milk ½ cup
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Salt as needed
Oil 1 TBSP

Preparation

Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and add the ginger and garlic. Saute these until a nice aroma develops. Next add the curry leaves and sliced onions. Saute till onions are golden brown in color. Now reduce flame and add the fenugreek, red chilly powder, coriander powder and tamarind paste. Mix well and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the masala gets sautéed well. Next add salt and the marinated prawns. Mix well to combine and sauté for a few minutes. Now add ½ cup water and cook covered until boiling. Open lid and increase heat to medium high and add milk, coconut milk. Cook until the curry startsto boil. Switch off flame and adjust salt if needed. Set aside.

Now in another deep pan, add 1 tsp oil and sauté the green onions and broccoli florets for 3-4 minutes. Add the prepared prawns pappas to this and give a mix. Next add the cooked pasta to the pan and mix well to combine. Turn off stove. A yummy fusion pasta dish is ready.

Notes: Add cheese of any kind if you prefer..

Cheers!!!
Suji