Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but most of us try skipping it , or make it the lightest one giving it lest importance. During college days i used to have a hard time to finish off my breakfast , but now i try my best to fill my tummy with the most important meal of all.
If you have been following my previous posts ,you might have got to know that we do not take cornflakes for breakfast. Well i am not offending anyone or any particular brand for that matter , but we do not like cornflakes.

Well Dosa and Idly are pretty common in our household, but still its not so common that i make Masala Dosa. As kids when our family went to dine out at a Vegetarian restaurant Masala Dosa was the only thing that i used to order, but i never got satified with the taste ,other than the Masala Dosas mom made. Every mom makes her dishes special with a so many extra pinches of love , and may be thats why i loveee her Masala Dosas, she used to serve me hot hot Masala Dosa right from the Dosa tawa. Nowadays its my turn that i serve my little lady love with some hot yummy Masala Dosa, and she lovesss it.

Well, i really do not need to say anything about this wonderful food which is perfect for any season and even any time of the day too.


Masala Dosa for Breakfast !!!

Ingredients:
Dosa Batter 4 - 5 cups ( diluted with enough water and salt, to a pouring consistency )
Oil

For the Masala :
3 - 4  Potatoes  ( boiled , peeled )
1 big Onion ( sliced )
2 Green chilies ( slit )
5 -6 Garlic cloves ( chopped )
1 " inch Ginger piece ( chopped )
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Curry leaves 4 -5  ( torn )
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Method
Break the potatoes into small and medium pieces , do not smash it all.
Heat oil in a Kadai and pop mustard seed, add in the  Curry leaves + Green chili + Ginger + garlic , and saute for a min.
Add in the Onions and saute until it turns translucent and JUST soft.
Add in the turmeric powder  + potatoes and just about 1/4 cup water and mix well.
Keep it aside.

Assembly

Heat a Dosa Tawa / Pan to medium heat,  and pour in a ladle full of batter in the middle.
Spread the batter on the pan by a circular way, drizzle some oil on top.
When the dosa gets cooked , lay 1tbsp - 2tbsp of Masala in the middle of the dosa , in a straight line.
Cover the dosa in half and slightly press the sides of the dosa to seal it.
Flip it on the sides and cook it again for 15 sec on each side, and serve.
I served it with Kerala Coconut Chutney and Spicy Tomato - Garlic Chutney.

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        Every single dish i make has a story line behind it. During my childhood days every saturday morning the whole family used to go to any of the temple near our place to offer prayers. After the temple visit we go have breakfast at dad's favourite vegetarian restaurant ' Ariya Bhavan '. We kids were non-veg lovers and were never a fan of the vegeterian restaurants. Any how we had to have breakfast , so it was always Puri - Masala for dad, mom and brother , but i never ordered puri and just hated it , so it was Masala Dosa every single time , and yeah saying about their food, we used to order their Dahi- Vada / Thayir - Vada , and it was just amazing. So years passed by, but my hatred for puri never changed.

Now, its a different story , i like Puri , don't ask me how, but i love it :) !!! Even though i like puri - masala, i don't make it so often, just being on the healthy side.  Recently we had invited our friend over for dinner , and as it been months i made Puri , and more over our friend also being a Puri lover , the menu was decided. I made the simple Puri - Potato Masala Curry, and we enjoyed our dinner watching a film.
And recently did i find out that my little lady is lately being a ' Puri ' lover. Yes, my darling just gobbled a few without any complaint :) .

Puri Masala Curry / Potato Masala Curry

Ingredients:
4 Potatoes (boiled )
1 Onion ( sliced )
2 -3 Green chili ( slit )
2 " inch Ginger piece ( chopped )

1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 -2 tsp Channa dal
Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 - 2 pinches Asafoetida
a pinch of Yellow / Orange colour ( opt )

Method:

Boil potatoes and just break it into pieces with your hand, do not smash it all.

Heat oil in a Kadai and pop mustard seeds + channa dal + curry leaves.
Add in ginger + green chili + onion and saute until onion turns soft and translucent.
Add in turmeric and asafoetida, and mix well.
Put in the potato pieces and about 2  - 3 cups of water and let it boil.
Once it starts boiling reduce the heat and let it simmer and get thickened.
Serve hot with Puri / Chapathy.

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           Appam is one of the best and one of the traditional breakfast in Kerala. Now a favorite for many outside the state too. Well, writing about Appam, we make it almost every two week once. As a kid i never ate the crispy part but the soft inner appam, and i guess even the little is following me on that.

Well, this Appam is usually reffered as Palappam at home, but we really do not bother to call it as such, we just call this particular Appam and every other Appam recipe  as Appam. There are many varitey of Appams and i do have a few Appam recipes in my kitty Kallappam & Appam - without Coconut . Most of the times i serve my Appam with a proper Kerala style side dish, it would be mostly a Stew but may be a Chicken Curry or a Mutton Curry does take turns.

  I have tried making Appam without adding yeast a couple of times, sometimes it gets well fermented, sometimes it just becomes a disaster. So, now a days without taking any chances i just add yeast and it just works superb.You can see the batter before and after fermentation picture above.I have already shared a few curry recipes that are usually served with Appam : Egg - Potato Stew , Chicken Stew

Palappam - Kerala Appam

Ingredients:

2  1/2 cups Raw Rice / Sona Masoori / Basmati / Idly rice ( i usually use sona masoori or Idly rice )
1 cup Grated Coconut
1/2 - 3/4 cup Cooked Rice
Coconut Water / Water

1/2 tsp Yeast
6 tbsp Sugar ( i add a  few more spoons, i like my appam to be sweet )
Salt as needed


Method:

Wash and soak the rice in water for 5 -6  hours or overnight.
Grind it to a smooth paste with grated coconut and cooked rice adding water as needed. ( i refrigerate fresh coconut water and use it while grinding , plain water is fine too ).
Once ground transfer it to a large container and mix yeast + sugar + salt, and stir well.
The batter should be a little watery ( be careful not to add to much of water ), cover the container and let it ferment for about 6 hours or until fermented.
Once fermented just mix it , it will be airy, do not over mix it, check for salt and sweetness.
While making appam , just scoop the batter from the top ( i mean the batter with the bubbles ).

Heat your Appam Chatti between high - medium , pour in a ladle of batter into the pan and swirl the pan slowly and close it with a lid for 3 mins , and make appams.
Serve hot with curry of your choice.

Notes - I usually store fresh Coconut water  just after breaking my coconut , and i keep it refrigerated , you can use it within in a week.

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             If we are having Appam at home then the side dish undoubtedly is a Coconut milk based Stew, mostly it is a Vegetable stew or a creamy Chicken Stew .This time i made a Egg - Potato Stew , this curry reminds me of my childhood days, it has just been re - created from my memories. I tasted it from our neighbour Laila aunty's house, it was long time and i was too small back then to ask the ingredients nor how it was made.

As a kid i used to go play at her home with her kids during the evenings,  and we were served with home - made goodies most of the times. I have some very tasty memories about her, she made some super soft cakes and crunchy goodies, and we always got to taste them but she moved to another state in a few years time.
I always wanted to make this Egg stew but never gave it a try. Recently i made it ; the same way i made Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Carrots, but tasting this it surely did re-kindle my good old days, but i felt hers to be the BEST, well every other curry for that matter.
I made Appam / Pallappam to go with it, and  will surely post the recipe soon. If you want to try i have other Appam recipes too :  Kallappam  , No - Coconut Appam & Palada / Rice Crepes which would also be a good Combo with this dish

Egg - Potato Stew / Kerala style

Ingredients:
4 Hard-boiled Eggs
1 - 2 medium Potatoes ( Cooked & diced )
1 small Carrot ( diced )
1 medium Onion ( diced )
2 Green Chilies
1 inch Ginger ( chopped )
Curry Leaves as needed

1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
a pinch Turmeric

2 Cardamom ( crushed )
2 Cloves
1 inch Cinnamon stick
4 - 5 Pepper corns

1 1/2 cup Thick Coconut milk
5 Cashews ( soaked in water and grinded to paste )

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add in Cardamom + Cloves+ Cinnamon and Pepper corn,let it splutter.
Add in the Curry leaves+ Ginger+ Chili + Onions and saute until just translucent.
Add in Carrots, and saute for a min, add in the masala powders and saute for few mins.
Pour in a 1/2 cup of water and let it boil, once the carrots and done add potatoes.
Pour in Coconut milk and add salt; pour in about 1/2 cup water and let it simmer , do not boil it.
Add in the Cashew paste and stir well. Add in the eggs and let it simmer.
Serve hot with Appam.

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     Week day mornings are really becoming hectic for me now ; i need to be well prepared for the breakfast , lunch and a brunch for the little one. Yes , i need to pack lunch for my husband so, its a busy morning everyday, i have be to well prepared ahead of time , or else i'll surely have fumes from my head. In our household ; Cornflakes or be it any of its kind of breakfast ...which we need to pour in milk and have, is a big NO. Yes we did have it for most of our breakfast before that we have reached to a saturation point now that we cant take it any more.  So, i need to make a proper breakfast anyway. It just depends on my daily thinking , may be Dosa , Idli , Pancakes , Sandwiches ....But a hectic morning doesn't mean that i manage every day breakfast ;) , well sometimes a simple curry make the busy breakfast hours turn really special.  A simple , comfort breakfast curry can just be the perfect Combo to fill our tummy, just as this one.

Thattukada or Roadside shops are a common sight back in our home town. These roadside shops mainly focuses on Breakfast / Dinner dishes like Thattu Dosa , Idlis and so on. Well these Pancake shaped dosa's are mostly sided with Coconut Chutney, Ulli Curry , Egg Omelet , Parippu Vada, Pappadum ( fries ) and a Cup of Tea well that surely makes a Complete Thattukada Style Food. I am surely drooling over when i'm typing these down, surely misses home now !!!
So this is just the way my mom makes it with Shallots , usually the shallots used in this curry is crushed and then added into the gravy , and then cooked. I sauteed it as for my taste buds. I hope atleast some of you there who are by now drooling over the Thattukada Food would surely try this out.

Shallots Curry / Ulli Curry THATTUKADA STYLE

Ingredients:
15 -20 nos Shallots / Kunjulli
1 1/4 tsp Red Chili Powder ( i used Kashmiri Chili Powder )
1/2 tsp Tamarind Extract
a pinch of Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 -2 Dry Red Chili
Salt to taste
Curry leaves
Oil

Method:
Slice the Shallots into medium size.
Heat oil in a Kadai and pop mustard seeds , red chili and curry leaves.
Add in the Shallots ( do not let it turn mushy ) saute for a minute; add in chili powder and asafoetida.
Pour in 1 - 1 1/2 cups of water ,  add in the tamarind extract and salt to taste.
Let it simmer for a few mins and Serve hot with Dosa or Idli.

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    Now a days my little lady is all about doing things herself. Yes, each and everything, she does reminds me that she is growing fast now!! She does take time to do things a bit longer, especially when it comes to having food on her own, ill have the whole place turned into a mess; but its really cute to see her do it on her own. When it comes to helping me, she loves peeling boiled eggs, and would gobble one  right after peeling.
The other day we had some friends over for dinner, so i made some Chicken Sandwiches  and the most popular Kerala food Combo String Hoppers / Idiyappam and Chicken Stew / Chicken Ishtu and for dessert it was Caramel Custard.

While in college we friends used to meet up at our friend Nimi's home who sayted near the college. So most of the times we used to get some yummy treats made specially made by her mom, and once it was the yummiest Chicken stew ever and then on its just this special recipe of aunty that i follow. Usually its Appam for the perfect Combo, i do have some Appam recipes which would be perfect for this : Kallappam  and Appam - without Coconut.


Kerala Chicken Ishtu / Chicken Stew


Ingredients:
1 lbs Chicken
1 Onion - big sized ( sliced )
1 - 2 Potatoes medium ( cubed )
1 Carrot - medium sized ( cubed )
1 inch Ginger piece ( chopped )
5 Garlic (chopped )
2 Green Chilies ( slit )
Curry leaves
Salt to taste

1 tsp Red Chili Powder
2 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
a pinch of Turmeric Powder

2 Cardamom
2 Cloves
1 inch Cinnamon stick
4-5 Pepper Corns

1 cup Thin Coconut Milk
1 cup Thick Coconut Milk
 Cashew paste ( about 10 cashews soaked in water )

Method:

Heat oil in a Kadai and saute Cardamom + Cloves + Peppers and Cinnamon sticks.
Add in Onions + Ginger + Garlic + Green Chilies + Curry leaves saute until translucent.
Add in the masalas and fry for a minute, add in the chicken + salt and mix well.
Pour in thin coconut milk and cook on medium heat.
When half done add in potatoes and carrots, cook until the chicken and veggies turn soft and done.
Pour in the Thick coconut milk  + Cashew paste + 1/2 cut water and cook on low to medium heat for another few mins.
Adjust the water level as required.
Add in more curry leaves if needed and Serve hot with Appam.

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    Getting nostalgic is something that happens to me at times, may be the smallest of things really make me travel all the way back home to the good old childhood days. As kids my brother and myself were pampered a lot by our maternal grand parents. All our smallest of the wishes were even granted, but as kids we were more into playing with cousins than spending time with our grand parents and i really do regret doing so. But still, we loved them a lot, i never missed a chance to sleep with my ammama ( grand mother ), she used to tell me stories every single day and i would lay by her side hugging her tight, how i loved being a girl !!!

Well, this is a long lost recipe that is not pretty much used nowadays. I had a chance to taste this dosa from my in- laws place, and i guess the best kind of i have had. My grandmother used to make Puttu ( Steamed Rice Cake ) from Dried ground tapioca powder, never thought even dosa is made out of these.

Tapioca Adai Dosa / Spiced Tapioca Crepes

Ingredients:
2 cups Idly Rice / Raw Rice
2 cups sliced Tapioca
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

8 - 9 Shallots ( thinly sliced )
4 - 5 Green Chilies
1" inch Ginger ( chopped )
few curry leaves
Oil
Salt

Method:
Soak rice for for about 3 - 4 hrs.
Clean cut the tapioca into pieces and grind it in a mixer until smooth.
Add in the rice and grind it into a smooth water adding enough water as needed.
In a pan heat oil and saute Shallots + Green Chilies + Ginger + Curry leaves until soft .
Once cooled add the sauteed spice into the batter adding turmeric, asafoetida , salt and water as needed.
The batter should be of a pouring consistency.
Heat a tawa or pan and pour in a ladle of batter, spread the batter and drizzle gineglly oil around it and make crepes or dosas , as needed.
Serve hot with Coconut Chutney.

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There are quite a different varieties of  Fermented and Non - Fermented Rice Pan Cakes from our own Kerala . I have tried to upload a few here , Fermented  Appam - with NO coconut ,  and the Non - Fermented  Palada / Rice Crepes , and now the very Famous Fermented Kallappam to join the list.
I really do not find much difference Kallappam but, it does have a very slight taste difference due to the addition of Shallots and Cumin.

 I always likes my Appam /Rice  Pan Cakes to be very sweet, so i usually add extra sugar than which is said;  and would love to have a spicy gravy to accompany it. Its really fun, you have sweet and spicy at the same time. 
I made a spicy yet very tasty Curry to go with it. Would upload the recipe for the curry very soon, until then keep guessing  it :)

Kallappam / Fermented Rice Cakes


Ingredients:
2 cups  Raw Rice / Idly Rice ( soaked for 6-7hrs  )  
1 cup Grated Coconut
1 cup Cooked Rice
3 Shallots
1 tsp Jeera / Cumin
1 cup Toddy ( refer Notes )
1/2 tsp Yeast
2 tbsp Sugar ( adjust accordingly , i usually add more )
Salt
Water as needed

Method:

Clean and soak rice for 6-7 hrs, i usually soak it overnight and grind it in the morning.
Mix in Yeast to 1/4 cup warm water and set aside for about 10 mins.
Grind together soaked Rice + grated coconut + cooked rice +  shallots + jeera / cumin to a smooth paste adding water as needed.
Mix in yeast mixture + sugar + salt to the batter and mix well.
Let it stand and ferment , it would take atleast 8 - 9 hrs to get fermented, and double in size.
To make the rice pancakes : 
Heat a Griddle  / Tawa , oil it , and pour a ladle full of batter ; do not spread it, close it with a lid and let it cook, flip it the other side and cook again.
Serve hot with curry of your choice or  Omelette Curry ,  Kerala Black Chickpea Curry .

Notes: I usually store the water from the coconut. Add 2 tbsp Sugar to a glass of Coconut water and leave it for a day, and then use it instead of water to grind the rice.

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Weekday mornings really make me go crazy thinking of different breakfast that wouldn't make us feel having the samething every single morning. i really dont feel happy stacking up my pantry with the different cereal boxes, and having them every day. We were a huge fan of the flavoured oat meal packets but then too we got fed up with them so now trying on new different ways to have breakfast in the same healthy manner.

This is again a yummy  food recipe shared by my friend U, i have shared recipes before here & here. Right now this is a yummy easy version how we have our Oats porridge on a busy Weekday mornings. Do give this a try & Im sure you will love this.

Spiced Oat Meal Porridge
Ingredients:
1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
Salt

For Grinding:
1/2 cup Yogurt
1 Green Chili
1 inch Ginger
6-7 sprigs of Corriander leaves

Method:
Heat water adding oats to it and cook until done and remove from heat.
Grind together coriander, green chili, ginger and yogurt.
Add the ground paste to the still warm oats and mix well ; add salt as needed.
Serve warm.

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Packing food for a journney gives a kinda festive mood back at home; my mom would pack food for each and every long and short trips we have gone for, its kind of fun to have food on your journey, and now i just love to do that, atleast if not for us atleast for our little one , i would want her to have homemade food for atleast one time when on a journey.

Now this Chutney is a dry one, i would say its just one of the kind, we love it and super easy breezy recipe, it just takes few mins in kitchen to have this yummy chutney, i would highly recommend you trying this out.

Dry Coconut Chutney/ Varutha Thenga Chammanthi
Recipe source: Amma
Serves : 2


Ingredients:
1 cup Grated Coconut
1 tsp Red Chili Powder ( adjust accordingly )
Salt to taste

For tempering:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
2-3 Dry Red Chili
Curry Leaves

Method:

Grind grated coconut and red chilli powder to a coarse form WITHOUT adding water.( just give it a 3- 4 pulse giving intervals in between).
Heat oil in a pan and pop mustard seeds following red chilies and curry leaves.
Add in the grated coconut mixture and just fry the coconut until dry on a low heat. ( be careful not to burn it nor get too much dried up).
Serve with Appam , Idly or Dosa. 

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    How i realise, that having a mixed cultures in our little home is truely a blessing ( yea; myself from Kerala and hubby dear from Tamilnadu ), sometimes a little bit of everything makes things turn just  Perfect , well most of the times.  I guess that is the same way that happens in cooking also, sometimes trial just works fabulous and the same turns disasters too. My friend U was very sweet to give me a bottle of  her ' All Purpose Masala' powder ; when she knew about how much i loved her Tomato Kurma, but  Masala's don't last for ever.  I was forced to use my regular masalas to create this , tasting it for the first time itself made me fall for this. A recipe again from my friend U,  she usually makes it with normal Tomatoes, but i just re-did it by making some major changes in the recipe ingredients.
     

Tomato Kurma with Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:
3 cups Cherry Tomatoes ( cut in half ) ( can use usual Tomatoes )
1 big Onion ( sliced )
3 Garlic pods ( chopped )
2 Green Chilies ( Slit )
1 tsp Red Chili powder
1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Aachi Chicken Masala
1/4 tsp Garam Masala ( refer Notes ; i didn't use this )
few Sprigs of Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

For grinding:
3/4 cup Grated Coconut
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
1 tsp Poppy seeds
1 inch Cinnamon stick
2 Cloves
1 small petal of Star Anise

Tempering:
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cloves
1 Star Anise

Method:
 Heat oil in a Kadai and pop fennel, cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise.
Add in Green chili, Garlic , Onion and saute until translucent.
Add in the Cherry Tomatoes , and saute until soft and mushy, add in the powders and saute for 2 mins.
Pour in the grinded coconut and spices paste,check for salt, let it simmer. ( add water if needed )
Add in corriander leaves and serve.

Serving Ideas With : Idly, Idiyappam , Dosa ,Palada , Appam.

Notes:  I have mentioned Aachi Chicken Masala in the Recipe, you can add any masala brand of your choice.
If adding a Chicken masala avoid Garam Masala or the either way, totally depends upon your taste.

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We have a very sweet yet very naughty little girl who's just turned two; and now she has started showing her part of personalities, i always get confused on her taste habit, very picky and at the sametime a total contrast, and i sometime find hard what to make her feed with, i just always keeps trying out something or the other from the usual food recipes, apart from the normal food we give for our little sweetheart. Its not that i give her a list of varieties, just wants a way to make her eat healthy food. That is how i tried giving some plain old normal idlis a makeover with some scrambled egg masala, and to my very surprise it was a great hit with my little love as well as hubby dear, and i was so much delighted to have come up with this.

STUFFED IDLY / MUTTA IDLY / EGG IDLY
Recipe Source: My Own

Ingredients:
4 cups Idly Batter
1 big bowl Egg Masala Filling ( recipe follows )
Salt to taste


Method:

• Prepare the Idly Cooker,by adding water to 2 inch  level  and oil the idly mould.
• Stir the idly batter well, and check for salt.
• Spoon in 1/2 tsp egg filling in each  mould, pour in a ladle of batter over the filling almost covering  it.
• Stack up the idly mould plates alternatively giving space for each idly to rise.
• Place the idly moulds inside the cooker and cook for about 15 - 20 mins.
• Scoop out  the idlis using a very cold spoon.
• Serve hot with Tomato Chutney

For the stuffing:

3 Eggs ( beaten )

1 big Onion ( finely chopped )

1 big Tomato ( chopped)

1tbsp Ginger ( chopped)

1tbsp Garlic  ( chopped )

2 Green Chili ( sliced )

1/2  tsp Red Chili Powder ( adjust accordingly )

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Mustard

Curry Leaves

Salt to taste

Oil

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan , pop mustard  and add curry leaves.
• Add in ginger, garlic ,green chili and onion, saute until translucent.
• Add red chili powder, turmeric and saute, add in tomatoes  salt and cook until mushy.
• Move the masala to the side of the kadai and add in the beaten eggs , salt , and scramble it.
• Mix everything well to get a scrambled egg masala. 

Notes : You can get pretty creative by making your own masala choice and making different versions of stuffed idly.

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Puttu and Kadala is the most famous favourite breakfast for a Keralite. There are several ways to prepare this very famous curry, it purely depends upon how you have grown having this. This is my amma's recipe, she makes this in two different ways and we just enjoy having it; personally im not a great fan of  Puttu and Kadala Curry combo, i prefer & at the same time love to have it with Idly.

Kerala Kadala Curry

Ingredients:
1 cup Kadala / Black Channa ( soaked overnight )
1 1/2 big Onion ( sliced )
5-6 Pearl Onion / Small Onion ( halved )
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Mustard
2 -3 Dried Red Chilies
Curry Leaves
Salt to tatse
Oil

Roast and Grind:
1 cup Grated Coconut
1 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp Red chili powder ( adjust accordingly )
1 Star anise petal
1 Cinnamon Stick
5-6 Whole Pepper Corns
2 Cloves

Method:

• Pressure cook the Channa with 1/2 of the sliced Onion, 1/4 tsp Turmeric and Salt, and reserve the water.
• In a Kadai dry roast grated coconut until brown, then adding  whole spices and powder roast it.
• Grind it to a smooth paste and set aside.
• Heat oil in a Kadai and pop Mustard, Dry Red Chili and Curry Leaves.
• Saute Onion, until translucent, add in the boiled Channa with the Onion, turmeric powder, ground paste, garam masala add in the reserved water as per your gravy thickness and let it boil.
• Add in the pearl onions, check for salt. and cook untill done.
• Serve with Puttu , Idly , Appam

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    I  really wanted to have the heading as " Coconut Less "; i know it is a bit of  something you might be wondering on; well nothing much to think on,  as we mention in some recipes as ' Egg Less ' i wanted to do the same. Then even i really started getting confused , so i edited the name to ' NO Coconut ".  Appam  a Kerala breakfast dish  is again a favourite at home, there are many versions of Appams; Kallappam ( Kallu means Toddy ) , Palappam ( Palu means Milk ) and many more. Appam batter usually contains Grated coconut or Coconut milk, but this recipe  is one even without Coconut water, nor grated coconut.

APPAM - NO Coconut
Ingredients:
2 cups Pachari / Raw rice( i used Sona Masuri )
2 tbsp Urad Dal
2 tbsp Sabudhana / Chauvuri / Jhavarasi
4 tbsp Cooked Rice
3 tbsp Sugar ( do adjust )
Salt to taste

2 tsp Yeast
1 tsp Sugar
1/4 cup Warm Water

Method:

• Soak Rice, Urad dal, Sabudhana seperately for atleast 6- 7 hrs.
• Grind together rice, urad dal, sabudhana, cooked rice to a smooth paste adding water.
• Mix warm water ,yeast and sugar and let it rise.
• Add sugar, yeast mixture and salt to taste to the batter.
• Let the batter sit and ferment.
• When fermented heat pan and make Appams.
• Pour a ladle of batter , do not spread it, close it with a lid and cook, flip and cook the other side too.
• Serve hot with Omelete Curry.

Other Serving Suggestion : Chicken Gravy , Mutton Kurma , Nadan Mutton Curry

Notes: I like my batter to be sweet so i add more sugar, it all depends upon your own taste buds.

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I really dont remember from how long i have been collecting recipes from newspapers, books,

 magazine paper cuts, as a kid i was never  intrested in making our own authentic recipes, rather wishes to make something different than our usual recipes, may be thats how i started collecting all these recipes which have got really hard to manage. I really forget what all recipes i have in hand.  This is one such recipe, i remember cutting it from a magazine long back. This egg gravy is really something different from our usual Egg Curry , this tastes similar to Theeyal

OMELETE CURRY / MUTTA CURRY / EGG CURRY

Ingredients:
1 Onion ( sliced )
2 Tomatoes ( chopped )
2 Green chilies ( slit )
1 tsp Ginger- Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 cup Water
Coriander Leaves
Curry Leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Roast and Grind:
1/2 cup Grated Coconut
1 tbsp Coriander powder

For the Omelete:
2 Eggs ( beaten well )
1/2 Onion small ( chopped )
2-3 Green chilies
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Oil

Method:
  For the Omelete:

• Beat eggs, onion, green chilies, turmeric and salt.
• Add oil to a hot frying pan and pour in the egg mixture and make an omelete.
• Cut in small square pieces and set aside.

 For the Gravy:

• Roast  coconut and coriander together until brown and grind adding water to a smooth paste.
• Heat  oil in a pan add Onion, Green chili, until half done and add Ginger- Garlic paste and saute.
• Add in Red chili powder, Turmeric powder, tomatoes and saute until tender.
• Pour in the grind paste and saute , pour water and cook.
• Add in the omelete squares and coriander leaves, mix well, remove from heat.
• If you feel the gravy to be thick you may again add water
• Serve with  Palada , Appam , Chapathi or Rice.

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I  have lost count ; i really don't remember the number of times Sabina Aunty has fed us with all her yummy food,  and she has been giving us a full course meal on every Ramzan  without fail. As kids my brother and i used to wait for yummy, pathiri ( rice chaathis ), ney choru ( ghee rice ), parotta, chicken fry, mutton curry and much more, and she never left out my favourite " Palada " , and softest yummy dosa, I've ever had in my life. Its only after coming here that i really missed our dear Sabina Aunty and her yummy food.

Palada / Rice Crepes
Recipe Source: Sabina Aunty

Ingredients:
2 cups Pachari Rice / Raw Rice Soaked ( i used Sona Masuri )
1 egg
1 cup Thick Coconut milk
3 cups Water ( add more if needed )
Salt to taste

Method:

• Grind rice and egg to a very fine paste.
• Add in coconut milk, water and salt to taste
• The batter has to be watery ( literally ), do not ferment.
• Heat a pan on high heat.
• Pour in a ladle of batter and swirl the pan, as the batter is watery, it'll spread everywhere.
• It'll just take a few min to cook, once you see the dosa cooked, fold in half( forming a semi-circle ) and again in half ( it'll  form a  triangle ) as shown in the picture.
• Serve hot with Chicken Curry / Mutton Kurma

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Ingredients:
2 cups idly batter ( recipe follows)
1 medium onion (chopped)
4 green chillies (chopped into very small)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves
salt to taste
oil


Method:
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and chopped onions.
Saute until the onions are soft, then let it cool.
Add to the idly batter and mix well, adding salt to taste.
Heat the paniyaram pan, and grease it.
Pour a spoon full of batter to each holes, cover and cook on a low heat.
Using a fork or a toothpick turn the paniyaram the other side and cook till done.
You can check the paniyaram by piercing it with a toothpick, If the toothpick comes out clean , then your paniyaram is done.
Serve it hot with coconut chutney or any of your choice.

For the idly batter:
2 cups of raw rice ( i buy idly rice)
1/2 cup of urad dal
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
salt to tatse

Method:
Wash and soak raw rice adding fenugreek seeds, overnight.
Do the same with urad dal.
Rice and urad dal should be soaked separately.
You can soak it overnight, or it should atleast stand for 5-6 hours.
Drain the water from urad dal and grind it into a smooth paste, adding very litte water.
If you are using a wet grinder, just add 3-4 ice cubes and you would get fluffy urad dal batter. ( the more fluffy your urad dal mixture gets, the more soft becomes your idly)
Once done, transfer the batter to a vessel.
Now grind the rice to a very smooth paste.
Mix it with the urad dal paste, adding enough salt ,mix well.
Now close it and keep in a warm place to get fermented.
It should take about 8 hrs to get fermented. ( but i keep overnight).
Once done, it will be double the size, again mix well with a spoon.
Pour the batter into the idly plates , steam it for about 20 mins.
Poke the idly with a toothpick, if it comes out clean, then its done.
Serve it with sambar or chutney.

Now some of my great moments, honestly speaking i am totally and deeply touched, Sarah Naveen of Vazhayila has passed on 3 awards to me,its a great way of encouragement.... thanks a ton. :)

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