iCookiPost

This is a Chinese style Manchurian preparation with Brinjal.This recipe is adapted from Lakshmi Nair’s cookbook Magic Oven “Pachaka Kala”.This can be served as a good starter during parties.

Ingredients

1. Brinjal(cut lengthwise) – 4
2. Corn flour – 8 tbsp
3. Maida/all purpose flour – 8 tbsp
4. Ginger(chopped) – 2 tbsp
5. Garlic(chopped) – 4 tbsp
6. Green Chilly(chopped) – 2 tbsp
7. Celery(chopped) – 4 tbsp
8. Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
9. Tomato Sauce – 3 tbsp
10. Sugar – 1 tsp
11. Salt
12. Oil –
13. Water – 1/2 cup
14. Spring onion (chopped) -  1 cup

Preparation

1. To make Batter, mix corn flour,maida and salt.Marinate brinjal pieces in the batter and keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Fry brinjal pieces till done.if you want to retain the crispiness, you can fry one more time.
3. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a pan.Saute chopped garlic, ginger,green chilly and celery.
4. Add soy sauce, tomato sauce,sugar,salt and stir well..check salt before adding it as soy sauce contains salt.
5. Add 1/2 cup of water and let it boil.
6. Once the gravy is thick, add fried brinjal pieces to it.Stir well till dry.
7. Finally add spring onion to it.
8. Garnish with spring onions.
9. Serve with rice or as appetizer

Vada kootu curry is quite popular in the capital city of Kerala and this is served during sadhya and marriage feasts.This curry is prepared using fried urad daal vadas soaked in potato and coconut milk gravy.This recipe is adapted from Lakshmi Nair’s Cook book “Magic oven Pachakavidhikal”.This is a must try dish for vegetarians and goes well with rice or roti.

Ingredients

1. Potato(cut into cubes) – 2
2. Onion(cut into medium pieces) – 2
3. Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
4. Red chilly Powder – 1 tsp
5. Coriander powder – 1tsp
6. Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
7. Garam Masala powder – 3/4 tsp
8. Thick Coconut milk(first Extracted) –1/2 cup
9. Thin Coconut milk(2nd extracted) –1 cup
10. Urad dal vada(uzhunnu vada) – 12
11. salt

For seasoning

1. Oil – 2tbsp
2. Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
3. Dry red chilly –4
4. Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

For making vada

1. Soak 1/2 cup urad dal in water overnight. Grind into a thick paste adding little water.
2. Add 1 chopped green chilly, 1tsp chopped ginger and salt to it .Mix well and make small balls out of the mix. Grease your palms with oil while making balls.otherwise it will be sticky.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Drop the balls into the oil and fry vadas till golden brown in color.
4. Drain into a tissue paper and keep aside.

For Making Curry

1. Heat oil in a pan. Saute potatoes and onions for 5 minutes.
2. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder,coriander powder, pepper powder and saute well.
3. Once it is done, add 2nd extracted coconut milk to it.Cover and cook on medium flame till potatoes are cooked well.
4. Add thick coconut milk and garam masala powder to it. when it starts to boil, add fried vadas to it.
5. Remove from fire.
6. Heat 2 tbsp in a kadai. splutter mustard seeds,dry red chilly,curry leaves and add the seasonings to the curry.
7. Transfer into a serving bowl. Cover with a lid and keep aside for 30 minutes.
8. Serve with rice or chappathi.

Normally I prepare semiya payasam with milk and sugar. But this time I tried with jaggery and coconut milk.This delicious payasam can be served during festivals like Onam and vishu.

Ingredients

1. Vermicelli/Semiya – 100 gms
2. Jaggery/Sharkara(grated) – 150 gms
3. Ghee – 3 tbsp
4. Cashew nuts – 8
5. Raisins – 10
6. Coconut milk(2nd extracted)  – 1 cup
7. Coconut milk(first extracted/thick) –1/4 cup
8. Cardamom Powder/Elakka podi – 1tsp

Preparation

1. To make jaggery syrup,boil I cup of water and melt jaggery .Once it is melted, strain it through a sieve to remove impurities.
2. Fry raisins and cashews in ghee.
3. Heat 1/2tsp ghee in a pan and roast vermicelli till light brown.In the mean time, boil 11/2 cup of water in another pan.
4. Once vermicelli is roasted well, add the boiled water to it .Let it cook on medium flame for 5 minutes.
5. Add melted jaggery to it and stir well.Add 1 tsp ghee to it.
6. Add 2nd extracted coconut milk to it and let it boil.
7. Finally add 1st extracted coconut milk and mix well. Don’t let payasam boil after adding thick coconut milk.
8. Add fried raisins,cashewnuts and cardamom powder to the payasam.
9. Serve warm.