Kallumakkaya Masala/Mussels Masala

Ingredients:-
To Marinate:-

1. Kallumakkaya/Mussels Big - 2lbs
2. Turmeric powder - ½tsp
3. Chilly powder - ¾ tsp
4. Salt - ¾ tsp

For Stir Fry:-

1. Onion very thinly sliced - 1 Cup(2 Med Size)
2. Ginger minced - 1 tsp
3. Garlic Minced - 1 tsp
4. Green Chilly Chopped fine - 3
5. Coriander Leaves chopped - 2 tbsp + to garnish
6. Salt - ½ tsp(to taste)
7. Turmeric -  ¼ tsp
8. Garam Masala - ¾ tsp(optional)

Preparation Method:-

• Wash the mussels two-three times to remove all the dirt stick on the shell. Place them in a wide vessel/Pot with water to cover the mussels and bring to boil.
• You will see the shell open and mussel leave the shell from one side and form shape instead of sticking on both sides of the shell.
• Take off the stove and drain off water. Let it cool
• Seprate the flesh from the shell and discard the shell. Remove the black color dirt inside the mussel meat.Remove byssus(a strong group of filament like hair) inside some mussels  as well.

• Pour water in a bowl and put mussel meat in it. Rinse gently to remove any sand/dirt in the meat onece or twice.
• Marinate with Salt, turmeric and chilly powder. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a Wok/Kadai/Pan, add curry leaves and give a quick saute. Add minced ginger and garlic, saute till raw smell goes away for a minute or two.
• Add Green chilies, sliced Onions, salt  and saute very well in medium heat till they turn translucent.
• Add turmeric powder, corriander leaves and saute well to mix. Add the marinated Mussles/Kallumakkaya and saute well to combine.
• Cover and let it cook for five-seven minutes stir occassionally.
• Add garam masala and more curry leaves, saute well for two-three minutes. Check for salt and adjust. Switch off the stove and move to serving plate.
• Garnish with more curry leaves and coriander leaves and serve warm with Rice/Roti.

ഗോതമ്പ് പായസം/Gothambu Payasam/Broken Wheat Payasam and Happy Vishu Wishes!!!

എന്നുമെന്നും ഐശ്വര്യവും സമ്പദ് സമൃദ്ധിയും നിറഞ്ഞതാവട്ടെ. എല്ലാവർക്കും വിഷു ആശംസകൾ!!!!

Wishing everyone a Very Happy Vishu!!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Broken wheat/nurukku gothambu - ½ cup
2. Jaggery cubes - 10 pieces(or according to your sweet tolerence) 
3. Coconut milk thin- 1 ½ cup
4. Coconut milk thick - ½cup
5. Cardamon pods - 4 
6. Sugar - 1 tsp
7. Cashew & Raisins a handful
8. Coconut pieces - 2 tbsp(chopped into med size pieces)
9. Ghee- 2 tbsp
10. Water - 1½ + more if required 

Preparation Method:-

• Wash broken wheat two-three times. Pressure cook them by adding four cups of water for two whistles.
• Open the cooker after the pressure leaves, drain off the water. Pour another two-three cups of water and drain again to remove excess starch.
• Boil 1½ cup of water, add Jaggery cubes and stir till they melt. Filter the jaggery syrup to remove any impurities.
• Pour this jaggery syrup to the cooked broken wheat and put on this stove. Let it boil on medium heat for five-seven minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add in thin coconut milk and let it boil again for ten-twelve minutes or till jaggery combine well with broken wheat. Make sure to stir the payasam in between not to stick onto the bottom of the pan/cooker.
• Add in the thick coconut milk, let it boil again for another two-five minutes. If the payasam seems very thick, add some boiled water or little bit more thin coconut milk.
• Add cardamom pods and sugar to in the smallest mixer/grinder and grind/powder them. Add it to the payasam and stir well to mix. Take them off the stove. 
• Heat a small pan, pour ghee, saute the cashews till they turn the color, add to payasam. Add raisins to same ghee and saute till they pop up and add to the payasam. 
• Add Coconut pieces to the same ghee, add more ghee if needed and saute well till they turn light brown, pour over the payasam and stir well to mix. 
• The very delicious gothambu payasam is ready to serve. Enjoy with your family and friends!!!

Tips: 

1. Cooking with excess water and straining reduces the starch smell and reduces sticking to each other.

2. Grinding cardamom pods in a mixer help the cardamom to form a fine powder and imparts great smell and flavor

Sprouted Moong Stir Fry / Kilirppicha Cherupayar thoran / മുളപ്പിച്ച ചെറുപയർ തോരൻ

Sprouted Moong Stir Fry used to be a regular side dish back home at grandma's home. Grandma always remembered to soak them and let them germinate. We as kids used to enjoy them and the kids here seems to love them the same way as we used to. While my son looks at the sprouted moong and ask me questions as to why I'm not planting them to grow as they are  already sprouted/germinated,  my daughter backs him in all what he says. After having all their doubts cleared(though I sometime don't have answers for all their ques ;) ) and when they sit down to have food I hear them involved in serious discussion about how the moong and other plants sprout and many more things. It is fun to overhear their conversation, I wonder how much do Kids learn from daily day to day activities and their enthu to talk about things and understand them is just marvelous.
So back to today's recipe, the very healthy, nutritious and delicious thoran which can be relished with Rice/Roti or just as plain - Sprouted Moong Dal Stir fry. Make them home and Enjoy!!

Sprouted Moong Dal Stir/ മുളപ്പിച്ച ചെറുപയർ തോരൻ:

Ingredients:-

1. Whole Moong - 1½ Cup
2. Onion - 1 finely chopped
3. Curry leaves a sprig
4. Green chilies - 3 chopped fine
5. Coconut Oil/Veg Oil- 1 tbsp
6. Mustard seeds - ¾ tsp
7. Dry red chilies - 2
8. Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder - ½tsp
10. Salt ~ 1tsp(or to taste)
11. Grated coconut - 2tbsp(optional)

Preparation Method:-

1. Wash Moong two-three times and soak for 6 hours. Drain of excess water if any and Move it to a clean muslin cloth. Join the edges of the cloth and tie up.
2. Leave it at a warm place on kitchen counter for upto 48hrs. Moong will start sprouting then(You can also drain off water and keep them covered in a bowl at a warm place for 2 days or more to let them sprout) 
3. Heat a frying pan/kadai, pour oil. When the oil is hot enough add mustard. When they start to crackle, reduce the heat to medium and add few curry leaves, dry red chilies.
4. Add Onion and salt and saute till they turn translucent. Add green chilies , turmeric powder and saute for a minute or two(can add chili powder if you need it more spicy, i normally go with green chilies only).
5. Add the sprouted moong and saute gently to mix well. Check for the salt and adjust accordingly.
6. Cover with a lid and let it cook in medium heat 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally.
7. Check if the moong is cooked enough, stir in few more curry leaves. Add grated coconut if using(and few drops of coconut oil if you like the flavor) and stir gently to mix.
8. Move to a serving dish and serve warm with Rice/Roti or plain.

Oats Veggie Puttu ~ Kerala's own favorite breakfast served healthy

Ingredients:-

1. Oats/Old Fashioned Oats - 2 Cups
2. Grated Carrot ~ 1/2 Cup
3. Onion chopped fine - 1 medium
4. Green chilly chopped fine - 2(optional, avoid if making for small kids)
5. Coriander leaves chopped fine - 3 tbsp
6. Grated Coconut as needed
7. Salt - 1/2 tsp(to taste)
8. Water - 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method:-

• Add oats to a wide pan bowl and crumble it as much with clean hands
• Add the grated carrot, onion, green chilies, coriander leaves and salt and mix well with hands.
• Carrot's and onion's moisture should be enough to make the oats moist enough when you mix. If you feel it too dry, sprinkle water little by little and mix till you get a moist lightly crumbled mixture.
• In the puttu maker fill in the grated coconut and oats mix alternately.
• Steam it till done. Serve hot as it is or with stew or curry of your choice

Broccoli Rabe(Rapini) Thoran/Broccoli Rabe Stir Fry

Winter is winding up and Spring blossom is here. Our local food market have loads of fresh green goodness, some of which I do not even know the names. This Brocolli Rabe Rapini was in demo in a near by store and my hubby liked the simply stir fry the Vendor provided flavored with garlic and dashes of lemon juice. Vendor said it is bit bitter but adding lemon juice will reduce them. I brought it home, made this Thoran, flavored with garlic, curry leaves and served with splashes of lemon juice. Adding grated coconut is optional which can reduce the bitterness too but I made it without coconut as well. I wonder where all the bitterness go, we couldnt even feel any :-) It tasted great, goes well with Rice/Roti. Try out this fresh green goodness, Enjoy !!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Broccoli Rabe - a bunch
2. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
3. Green chilies - 3 small
4. Shallots - 3 or 4 or half of a medium sized onion chopped finely
5. Curry leaves a spring or two
6. Grated coconut (optional)
7. Garlic - 2 cloves
8. Oil - 1 table spoon
9. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
10. Lemon Juice from ½ or 1 Lemon
11. Salt to taste

Method:-

·         Rinse the broccoli rabe well in water and chop it .

·         Heat oil in a wide pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters reduce the heat to medium and add Shallots/Onion, Garlic, Curry leaves, green chilies and salt. Saute for few minutes till onion turns translucent and garlic leaves it raw flavor.

·         Add the turmeric powder and sauté for few swconds. Add chopped broccoli rabe. Saute well to combine everything.

·         Cover and cook for just 2-3 minutes, Open the lid and sauté for few more minutes till the water is fully absorbed and leaves are soft. Make sure leaves don’t go mushy.

·         Increase the heat to full/high and add the grated coconut and saute for another two minutes or until it is dry. Remove from heat.

·         Sprinkle juice of lemon when the stir fry is ready to serve and mix well. Serve warm with Rice or Roti.