Ingredients:

Raw rice                  :  1cup
Moong dal               : 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds            : a pinch
Pepper                     : 1/2 tsp
Ginger                     : 1/4" pc
Green chillies          : 2 nos
Salt to taste.
curry leaves             :1 sprig

Method:

Wash rice and dal and cook it together in a rice cooker adding 5 to 6 cups of water.   When it is almost done add salt and mix well.
Heat ghee in a kadai add pepper and cumin seeds to this, fry for 3 secs and add ginger and green chillies chopped and fry for a while and add this to the pongal, mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves. Have it with coconut chutney and sambhar.

Ingredients:

Raw rice                 : 1 cup
Tur dal                    : 1/2 cup
Shallots                  : 8 nos(big size)
Turmeric pdr          : a pinch
Tomatoes               : 2 nos
Tamarind extract   : 1/4 cup(optional)
Salt to taste
Ghee                     : 3 to 4 tbsp
Curry leaves         : 1 sprig
Coriander leaves  : 1 cup chopped



For grinding:

Red chillies            : 7 nos      }
Coriander seeds     : 3 tsp       }roast all these
Fenugreek seeds    : 1/4 tsp    }together & grind it 
Cumin seeds          : a pinch   }(or you can use readymade sambhar pdr : 2 -3 tbsp
Asafoetida             :a small pc}


Method:

Wash the rice and the tur dal together and cook it in a rice cooker adding 5 to 6 cups of water.When half of the water reduced add the shallots and tomatoes. If you want more tamarind taste, add half a cup of tamarind extract. Add salt and turmeric pdr.  Cook for 5 more mins. Then add the ground masala to this and mix well.  Cook it till it is done and add ghee this and mix well. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves... Have it with pappad, potato chips or kondattam!!

If you are using pressure cooker add dal and rice, turmeric pdr  and 4 cups of water. Close it and cook till 2 whistles. Switch off the stove, after cooling open it and add tamarind extract, shallots, salt tomatoes. Cook again for 2 to 3 mins. Then add the ground masala(sambhar pdr) to this and mix well. Cook till the water absorbs and add ghee to this and mix well. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves!!

Ingredients:

Chicken                      : 3/4 kg
Chilli pdr                    : 2 tbsp
Turmeric pdr              : 1/4 tsp
Coriander pdr             : 3 tbsp
Pepper corns              : 1tsp
Shallots                      : 8 nos
Garlic                         : 4 cloves
Ginger                        : 1/4 " pc
Onion                         : 2 medium, chopped
Tomato                      : 1 big, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil as required
Lime juice                 : 1 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Cut chicken pieces into small pcs. Wash it thoroughly. 
Dry roast pepper corns, chilli pdr, coriander pdr till the raw smell goes. Grind it with shallots, garlic and ginger to a paste.
Marinate chicken pieces with salt, turmeric pdr and 1 tbsp of the ground masala and lime juice, keep it for 20 mins.
Heat  2 tbsp of oil in a kadai, add chopped onions and saute it till light brown colour. Add the ground masala and saute it till the colour changes to light brown. Then add the chopped tomato, saute it till soggy.

 Then add the marinated chicken to this and cook till the chicken become soft.Add little more oil to this and stir well. Keep it in the stove till it absorbs all the juices, stirring occasionally.  Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ingredients:

Idli batter            : 3 cups
Tomato               : 1 big chopped
Onion                 : 1 (sliced)
Green chilli        : 1 chopped
Ginger                : 1 small pc, chopped
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Oil as required

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai, add sliced onion and saute till it turns to light pink colour. Then add the ginger and green chillies, saute for a min and add the chopped tomato and saute it till it is soggy.Sprinkle little salt over this and keep aside.

Ingredients:

Idli batter                  : 2 cups
Onion                       : 1 thinly sliced
Oil                            : 3 tbsp


Method:

Heat a dosa tawa and pour 1 full ladle of idli batter in the middle of it, slightly spread it to a round shape.  Take a portion of the sliced onion and evenly spread it over the uthappam. Apply oil on the sides of the uthappam. When the base become golden brown, turn it over and apply little oil again.  Remove it from fire when it is done. Repeat the process with the remaining batter. Have it with coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

Chicken               : 1/2 kg
Shallots               : 8 nos
Onion                  : 1
Tomato                : 1
Chilli pdr             : 2 tbsp
Coriander pdr      : 3 tbsp
Turmeric pdr       : 1/4 tsp
Clove                   :  2 pc
Cinnamon            : a small pc
pepper                  : 1 tsp
Garlic                   : 5 cloves
Ginger                  : 1 small pc
Green chillies       : 2 nos
Grated coconut     : 1 cup
Curry leaves         : 1 sprig 
Coriander leaves  :  1/2 cup chopped
Lime juice            : 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil  as required

Method:

Cut chicken into small pieces and wash it thoroughly.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadai, add cinnamom, cloves, pepper and fry it for a min. Reduce the flame, add chilli pdr and  coriander pdr and fry this till the raw smell goes. Grind it with shallots, ginger and garlic to a smooth paste.
Marinate chicken with salt, turmeric pdr and 2 tablespoon of the ground paste and lemon juice. Keep it for 20 mins.
Grind coconut into a smooth paste and keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai add chopped onion till translucent. Add the remaining ground paste to this and saute it for 2 mins and add tomato pieces to this.  Add chicken pieces to this and cook till it become soft. Add little water if necessary.  Add little salt also for the masala.
Now add the coconut paste and mix well. The gravy should be slightly thick .

വിഷു കഞ്ഞി 

Vishu kanji is a special trational dish prepared on the day of vishu(malayalam new year) in palakkad side of kerala. Puliavarakka( a type of bean) is used along with rice for making this kanji.

vishu kanji

Ingredients: 

Pulivarakka(mochakotta) :   1/4 cup
Boiled rice                       :    1/2 cup
Raw rice                          :    1/4 cup
Grated coconut                :    1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Method:

Dry roast puliavarakka till you can smell the aroma. Lightly crush it in a mixie.  when you wash it the skin will come out. Wash the rice also.  Cook both the rice along with  puliavarakka  in a pressure cooker adding 4 to 5 cups of water. After 2 whistles switch off the stove, cool it and  open it. Add some more water to make the consistency of a porridge, boil for 2 more mins. Add the grated coconut and salt. Serve it hot.

puliavarakka

vishukkani