BAINGAN BHARTA

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups roasted eggplant pulp, drained
2 large onions, chopped
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green chili, chopped
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chilli powder
3 tbsp cilantro,finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Lemon juice as per taste
salt as per taste

Method

Heat oil in a non stick pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, when they pop, add garlic, ginger and chopped onions.Saute till onion is golden brown.
Now add eggplant pulp, keep stirring for 5-10 minutes.
Add tomato, salt , turmeric powder and chopped chillies.
Stir well , unit tomatoes gets pulpy and oil start to seperate out.

Add chilli powder, coriander powder and Garam  masala powder.
Add peas and cook for 5 minutes and check if peas are cooked through.
Mix in cilantro and stir well.
Finally garnish some cilantro before serving.
Enjoy!!!!

WHEAT ELLA APPAM WITHOUT FILLING

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup wheat flour
2 ripe bananas mashed
1/2 cup jaggery grated
2 tbsp chaka varatti
water as needed
Banana leaf/Vazhanayila/wax paper

Method

In a large bowl add wheat flour, mashed bananas, jaggery and chaka varatti alongwith little water ,
Add water little by little till you get a chapati dough.
Then add little more water to make a dough like clay form but should not stick to hands for easy spreading.
Cut the banana leaf from midrib around 15-20 cm length and width.
Divide dough into small lemon sized balls.
Spread the balls into round shape on the banana leaves a sa think layer. Dip the fingers in water and spread if needed. Fold the banana leaf .
Heat water in a idli steamer and allow water to boil.
Spread the ela appam evenly over the steamer base plate.
Close the lid ad steam for 10-15 minutes till appam cooks properly.
If the appam cooks , you will be able to peel teh banana leaf form the appam easly from both the sides.

INDO-CHINESE CHILLI FISH

Ingredients

1 lb Fish boneless

To marinate
1 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chilli powder
salt
Oil for frying

3 onions sliced
5 cloves garlic thinly julienne
1 1/2 " ginger thinly julienne
4 nos green chilli slit lengthwise
few curry leaves
3 stalks of scallions thinly sliced
salt to taste
oil
1 tsp soya sauce
4tbsp ketchup

Method

Marinate the fish pieces in Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chilly powder and salt. Be aware of the salt in the Soy and Worcestershire sauces while adding  salt. Keep the marinated fish aside for 30 minutes

Heat oil in a non-stick pan and shallow fry the fish pieces. Keep it aside

Heat oil in the same pan and add onions, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and green chilly and saute until the onions are browned

Add the chopped scallions and saute for a minute

Stir in the Soy sauce and ketchup.

Now gently stir in the fried fish and mix gently to avoid braking the fish pieces.

Cook for a minute or two and serve hot.

Notes and Tips

I used low-sodium Soy sauce which is considered healthier than the traditional version.

You can use Paprika instead of Chilly powder or remove the seeds from the green chilly to reduce the heat index

If you are using a white flaky fish like Tilapia be careful, while turning it during frying and also while tossing the ingredients together, to keep the fish pieces intact. 

FISH FRY

Ingredients

1/2kg Fish , any fish 
1 inch piece Ginger
8 cloves garlic 
1 tbsp Black Pepper 
1 tsp Chilli powder
Pinch Turmeric powder 
Few Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Mustard seed
1 tbsp Lemon juice 
3 tbsp Coconut Oil 
Salt to taste

Method

Whole steaks or cut the fish into equal size pieces. Clean and drain it well.

Grind ginger, garlic, pepper, chilli powder, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, curry leaves, lemon juice and salt into a paste.

Marinate fish pieces with the ground paste and keep it aside for at-least 30 minutes.

Heat coconut oil in a frying pan and fry marinated fish pieces by turning both sides on a medium flame.

Kerala fish fry is ready for serving. Serve it hot with onion rings and lemon wedges.

Tips

Any fish of your choice can be used to make this easy kerala fish fry.
If the fish pieces are large, make shallow cut marks on it with a sharp knife, so that the marinade is absorbed easily.

MULTIGRAIN BUN

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more, as needed for kneading

1 cup oat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

2-1/4 teaspoons of active dry active yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup lukewarm water

1 cup lukewarm milk

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup olive oil

1 egg, beaten (optional - it just adds an additional softness to the recipe)

sesame seeds

Method

In a small mixing bowl,add in the lukewarm milk and water, the eggs (optional), the yeast, salt, olive oil and honey. Whisk all the ingredients together and keep it aside.

In the bowl of the Stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, Add the milk yeast mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer. Gradually add in the flours one at a time

Knead using the dough hook of the Stand Mixer until all the ingredients are well combined. Add little more flour as more as needed to make an elastic dough. This process takes less than two minutes in the Stand Mixer .If using hands to knead, knead well until all the ingredients have come together following the same process above.

Place dough in greased oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap or a lid. Allow the dinner roll dough to rise until doubled for about couple of hours.

Once the dough has risen,punch down dough and form dough into 1-inch balls and place the dough on a greased baking sheet for about 1/2 an hour more until it rises. Cover the baking sheet with a towel.

Preheat oven to 200 C while the dough is rising.

Once the dough has risen, brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the dough.

Bake the Multigrain Dinner Rolls in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and the crust looks crisp and has risen. When baking you will notice that the dough will crack to expand showing the fluffiness inside the dough.

Remove from the oven and serve these Healthy Multigrain Dinner Rolls along with soup and salad for dinner.

CAPSICUM MASALA CURRY

Ingredients

2 medium green capsicum
2 medium red capsicum
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp dessicated or fresh  coconut
1 dry chili
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice, optional
1 tsp sugar, optional
2 tbsp coconut oil
salt  as per taste
3/4 cup water

Method
Add coriander seeds, grates coconut, dry chili, sesame seeds in  a pan and dry roast them, over low flame until nice aroma comes .
Transfer them to a plate and after it gets cooled, grind them with roasted peanuts in a grinder and make a fine masala powder.
Hat oil in a kadai over medium flame, add cumin seeds and lit it splutter.
Add chopped onions and garlic, saute till onion becomes light pink.
Add capsicum and sprinkle salt over it.
Saute capsicum until it turns tender but still crispy for 2 minutes.
Add turmeric poser and chili powder and mix well.
Add masala powder, lemon juice and salt.
Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
Add 3/4 cup water and let it boil over medium flame.
Cook until gravy becomes thick .
Serve it with naan or roti.