Lemon Rice

Cooked Basmati Rice : 2 cups
Oil : 2 tbsp
Chana Dal : 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1tsp
Finely Chopped Green Chilies : 3
Lemon Juice : One lemon
Curry Leaves : A few
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Grated Carrots : 1/2 cup
Sweet Peas : 1/3 cup
Cashew Bits : A few
Raisins : A few

Direction:

1. Cook Basmati Rice according to package direction and set it aside. Add salt to water while cooking rice.
2. In a heavy bottom pan add oil, crack mustard seeds ,  add chana dal and stir till it slightly browns, now add cumin seeds , green chilies, curry leaves, cashew pieces and raisins, and  sauté for few minutes on low heat followed by grated carrots, and green peas and turmeric and gently stir for few minutes till the carrots are cooked. 
3. Now add lemon juice and a pinch of salt to it. Stir in cooked rice and gently mix all ingredients. Let it rest for an hour or half till all are blended in well.
4. Serve with a cucumber salad and Pappadam.

Tuna Sandwich with a touch of the East

Canned tuna drained : 1 can
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Red Chili powder :  1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : if needed
Green chilies sliced thinly : 2 tsp
Crushed ginger : 1 tsp
Onions thinly sliced : a few
Mustard Seeds : a few
Boiled Egg  mashed : 1
Shredded Cheese : A few (Any kind)
Round multigrain sandwich bread : 4 slices
Olive Oil : 1 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Add olive oil to a pan, when heated crack mustard seeds. Sauté onion,green chilies , and ginger for few minutes but not till browned. 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add cooked fish and turmeric powder, chili and fenugreek powders and stir for five minutes on medium heat.
3. Into this add mashed egg and stir it all together. Add a pinch of salt if needed. Sprinkle some shredded cheese. Turn off the heat and when it cools down a bit, spread it in between the bread and yum!  This makes sandwiches for 2 people.

Macadamia Triangles

Recipe Source:  As seen in ‘ Good Housekeeping  Best Loved Desserts’ cook book.

All purpose flour : 1 cup
Granulated Sugar : 1/4 cup
Salt : 1/8 tsp
Cold butter or Margarine :  6tbsp
Cold Water : 3 tbsp
Macadamia Nuts : 1 Jar
Light Brown Sugar : 2/3 cup
Large Egg : 1
Vanilla Extract : 2 tsp
Chocolate Chips : a few  (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Grease 9 inch square baking pan. Line pan with foil. Grease foil.
2. In medium bowl, with wire whisk, mix flour, sugar and salt. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, about 1 tbsp at a time, mixing lightly with fork after each addition, until dough is just moist enough to hold together. With lightly floured hand, press dough evenly on to bottom of prepared pan. With fork, prick dough at 1 inch intervals to prevent puffing and shrinking during baking.
3. Bake crust until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Crust must crack slightly during baking. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Turn oven control to 375F.
4. Coarsely chop 1/2 cup macadamia nuts; reserve for topping. In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse remaining macadamia nuts and brown sugar until nuts are finely ground. Add egg and vanilla. Pulse until just combined.
5. Spread macadamia filling evenly over cooled crust. Sprinkle reserved chopped macadamia nuts on top. Bake until filling has set, 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.( At this point add chocolate chips also and bake).
6. When cool, lift foil with pastry out of pan and place on cutting board; peel foil away from sides. Cut into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 squares. Cut each squares diagonally in half.

Quick and Easy left over chicken sandwich

Whole grain sandwich bread : 2 pieces
Butter : Enough to spread on bread
Avocado sliced and mashed : 3 tbsp
Cooked chicken pieces as needed  
Swiss cheese : 1 piece
Caramelized onions: a few
Spinach: a few

Preparation:
Toast the bread and spread it with some butter, and mashed  avocado and top it with caramelized onions,  chicken,  and spinach  leaves and Swiss cheese. Sprinkle some salt and pepper if needed. Serve it with a piece of cucumber pickle and some chips of your choice and Yum! A great quick and easy lunch!

Kerala Fried Rice

Serves : 4 to 5

Basmati Rice : 2 cup
Water : 5 cup
Cloves: 3
Cardamom Pods : 4
Cinnamon Stick : 1
Chopped Onions : 1
Salt : To taste
Mixed Vegetables : 2 cups
Green Peas : 1/2 cup
Cashews : a few
Peanuts : a few
Raisins : A few
Craisins : A few
Fried Onions : Enough to garnish
Saffron Water  Soaked : Few drops
Cilantro and Mint Leaves : A few
Olive Oil : 3 tbsp

Direction:

1. Soak the basmati rice for 1/2 an hour, and then drain it well.
2. Cook the vegetables according to package direction and set aside. Powder all the spices together and set aside.
3. Add 2 tbsp of  olive oil in a suitable pan large enough to cook the rice, and sauté the chopped onions for 5 minutes.
4. Now add the drained rice and stir until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add spices, salt  and water.
5. Cover and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes. First few minutes on medium high till it starts to boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and cook for the remaining time.
6. Slightly fry the cashews, peanuts, craisins, and raisins on low heat and set aside.  Fry thinly sliced onions and set aside.  Add all the cooked vegetables to the remaining oil and sauté for few minutes until all the moisture disappears.
7. Ten minutes before turning off the heat,  add a  few drops of saffron color, followed by the vegetables, fried nuts and onions. Few cilantro leaves and mint leaves can also be added for flavor.  Cover and let it sit for another ten minutes on low heat.  Gently stir before serving.
8. Serve with chicken curry, lemon pickle, salad, and pappadam.

Tips:

Always fry the nuts separately in batches.  Do not burn the cashews,  as soon as the color begins to changes take it out of oil and drain on a paper towel. After adding water, taste the water for salt and add more if needed add more. Careful not to break the rice grains while browning, use a wooden spoon and gently stir. Frozen mixed vegetables like beans, carrots, and corn are an easy addition to this dish.

Papaya Erisseri

Raw Green Papaya peeled and cubed : 3 cups
Cherupayar parippu or Moong dal split : 1/3 cup
Water :  4 cups
Grated Coconut divided : 3/4 cup
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder : 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder : a pinch
Salt : To taste
Olive Oil : 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves : A few
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Red Dried Chilies : 3 or 4
Shallots : 2 or 3

Direction:

1. Pressure cook the papayas and the dal along with water, salt, a few curry leaves, red chili powder,  turmeric powder, and a pinch of black pepper powder  for three whistles on a medium high heat.
2. Grind half of the grated coconut  with cumin seeds and make it into a fine paste.
3. Add the mixture to the pressure cooker and cook for a few minutes on medium low heat till it steams but not boil, and remove from the heat.
4. In a kadai, add olive oil and splutter some mustard seeds. Into this add curry leaves, thinly sliced shallots, and dried red chilies. Now add the remaining coconut grated into this and brown the coconut on medium heat. Pour the prepared erisseri mixture into this and stir well.  Remove from the heat.
5. Serve hot with rice and yum! Fish curry, pappadam, and a thoran curry goes very well with this.

Tips:

Water level should always be enough to cover the ingredients in the pressure cooker plus a  bit more above the level of ingredients for safety. Know your pressure cooker. 

Check for salt content once it is pressure cooked. Always better to add less salt than to regret later. If needed, salt can be added at the end.

This is a thick gravy, if it needs to be runny, add a little more water in step 3.

‘Kovaykka’ and ‘Achinga Payar’ Mezhukkupuratti or Tindora and Runner Beans Sautéed.

Tindora or Kovakka : 1/4 kg or .5lb.
String Beans or long runner beans or Achinga : 1/4 kg.
Garlic Clove Thinly Sliced : 1
Red Onions Thinly Sliced lengthwise : 1
Green Chilies Sliced Vertically : 4 or 5
Thinly Sliced Coconut : Optional
Curry Leaves : A few
Water : 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp
Salt : 1 1/2 tsp

For Seasoning:

Olive oil : 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds : A few
Curry Leaves : a few
Thinly Sliced Pearl Onions: 2 or 3

Direction:

1. Snap the long runner beans between fingers instead of cutting them. Thinly slice tindoras lengthwise.
2. Into this, add cut chilies, sliced onions and garlic, curry leaves, and coconut slices as shown above.
3. Heat up the pan along with suggested measure of water and salt.
4. Cover and cook the vegetables till it is tender. Normally about 15 to 20 minutes on medium heat. Check in between to see if it needs more water. Sprinkle as needed. Check salt also.
5. Heat up a kadai or a suitable pan and add olive oil, splutter mustard seeds,  brown the onions, add curry leaves and now add the already cooked vegetables. Reduce heat. Let it all blend well and rest for few minutes in low heat uncovered.

 

Tips:

Serve with rice, kachiya moru curry,  pappadam, and chicken curry. Beans should be one or two inch long while snapping them. Cut veges to same length and size. Enjoy!