BREAD UPMA

Bread is used in many ways in different countries. We can toast it, make a sandwich or even have it fresh with butter & jam. Here i have used bread in a typical Indian style dish.

Preparation Time: 10 mts Cooking Time: 10 mts Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Bread - 1 small loaf ( app. 350 gms )

Big onions - 2 nos

Tomato - 1 no

Green chilies - 3 nos

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Broken urud dal - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

Cut the bread in to small cubes. Sprinkle some water, mix it & keep it covered for sometime. Chop the onions, tomato & green chilies in to small pieces. Heat oil in a pan & fry the mustard seeds. Add the urud dal & fry for sometime. Add the chopped green chilies & onions. Fry till the onions become pale in colour. Then add the tomato pieces & fry for some time. Add the turmeric powder & enough salt. Then add the soaked bread pieces & mix it all well & fry for sometime. Bread upma is ready.

Variations:

We can skip the tomato in the upma. Instead we can add finely chopped vegetables like beans , carrots, peas & potatoes to the upma.

Tips:

1. Always use non-sweetened bread for the upma. For those who like it a little sweet, you can use sweet bread & make it.
2. While sprinkling the bread with water, make sure that all pieces of bread are completely soaked but don't over soak it.
3. Add the salt to the vegetables & mix it well before adding the bread so that the salt spreads evenly.

Taste it & enjoy.

AVARAKKAI PORIYAL (BROAD BEANS FRY )

Avarakkai is called amarappayaru in Malayalam. It is also known as Broad beans in English. This green vegetable is full of fiber & is highly recommended by doctors as a zero calorie food. There are two varieties of avarakkai - broad & narrow beans. Here i have used the broad variety.

Preparation Time: 10 mts Cooking Time: 10 mts Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Avarakkai - 250 gms

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Red chilies - 2 nos

Refined oil - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

Wash the avarakkai & remove the fiber from both sides. Cut it in to small pieces. Heat oil in a pan & fry the mustard seeds. Add the red chilies & fry for a few seconds. Then add the chopped avarakkai & salt & mix well. Cook it in low fire till the avarakkai becomes soft. If needed sprinkle little water & cook it. Avarakkai poriyal is ready.

Variations:

We can do this poriyal with onions also. Chop & fry the onions & then add the avarakkai & cook it. We can also use coconut scrapping to the poriyal. Add it after the avarakkai is cooked & mix it all well for a few seconds.

Tips:

1. To retain the green colour, add a pinch of soda-bi-carb to the chopped avarakkai.
2. Instead of adding coconut scrapping as it is, run it in the mixer for a few seconds along with the red chilies & add it to the poriyal. This will give it a better taste. Those who like the smell of garlic can add 2 pods of garlic along with the red chilies.
3. Always choose tender avarakkai for the best taste.
   
   
   

Taste it & enjoy.

ULLI THEEYAL

Theeyal is a typical Kerala dish. Ulli in Malayalam means small onions. Just like the Tamilians, Keralites also use a lot of small onions in their cuisine. This gravy dish is a great success in all the restaurants here.

Preparation Time: 20 mts Cooking Time: 20 mts Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

Small onions (pearl onions) - 250 gms

Coconut scrapping - 3/4 cup

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Red chilies - 5 nos

Refined oil - 2 tsps

Curry leaves - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size

Salt - to taste

Method:

Peel & clean the small onions. Squeeze the tamarind in 2 cups of water & keep it ready. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Fry the coriander seeds, red chilies, coconut scrapping & curry leaves. Take 3-4 small onions & fry it also along with the other ingredients. The coconut should brown nicely. Grind it all to a nice paste. Heat the balance oil in the pan & fry the mustard seeds. Then add cleaned small onions & fry well till they are transparent. Add the tamarind water & salt. Boil it well till the raw smell goes off. Then add the ground masala & boil it well. Add some curry leaves on top & switch off the heat. Theeyal is ready.

Variations:

Theeyal can be made with vegetables like bitter gourd, potato, yam, mushroom etc. For the non-vegetarians this can be made with prawns too.

Tips:

1. The trick lies in the masala. The coconut has to be fried nicely in to a deep brown colour. That is what gives the taste to the theeyal.
2. We can make the theeyal in coconut oil to give it a nice Kerala taste.

Taste it & enjoy.

PARANGIKKAI PAALKOOTU (RED PUMPKIN KOOTU)

Preparation Time: 10 mts Cooking Time: 20 mts Serves: 2

There are two types of pumpkins in India - green & red. Red pumpkin is grown all over the world & is used in a variety of dishes. Red pumpkin has nutrients like beta-carotene, carbohydrates, potassium & magnesium. In the United States it is used to make pie for Thanksgiving. It is also used as candle holder during Halloween day. This kootu was taught to me by my Mother-in-law.

Ingredients:

Red pumpkin - 250 gms

Green gram dal (paasi paruppu) - 25 gms

Milk - 1/2 cup

Green chilies - 2 nos

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Method:



Slice the red pumpkin in to 2 inch square pieces. Fry the dal slightly in a kadai & boil in the pressure cooker with enough water. Slit the green chilies. Place the cut pumpkin pieces & the chilies in a vessel. Add enough water & salt. Cook it till the pumpkin is tender. Mash it with the back of a spoon or ladle. Mash the dal & add it to the pumpkin & let it boil. Mix the milk in to it. Switch off the heat & add the curry leaves & coconut oil. Parangikkai paalkootu is ready. This kootu will have a mild sweetness to it & can be eaten as it is or as a side dish with sambar rice & chapathis.

Variations:

People staying abroad can do this kootu with the squash available there.

Tips:

1. This kootu will have mild sweetness to it. Those who need more sweetness can add a little sugar to the kootu.


2. Add coconut milk instead of plain milk. This will give the kootu a rich taste.

Taste it & enjoy.

CARROT SOUP

Carrot is a root vegetable grown all over India. It is high in beta-carotene. It is also high in anti-oxidants & fibers. The carrot available in South India is orange in colour but the Delhi carrot is red in colour. These days we get mini or baby carrots which are consumed in their raw form. Carrots can be used in salads, cakes & lot of other dishes. Here is the recipe for carrot soup.




Preparation Time: 10 mts Cooking Time: 20 mts Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Carrots - 250 gms

Big onion - 1 no

Potato - 1 no

Garlic - 2-3 pods

Black pepper - 1 tsp

Fresh cream - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

Cut the carrots, potato & onion in to cubes. In a pressure cooker place all these vegetables with 2 cups of water, salt & pepper. Pressure it for 1 whistle or for 15 mts. When it is cold, drain the water & keep it aside. Put the boiled vegetables in a mixer, add the water slowly & puree it well. Strain it through a sieve. Add some more water if the soup is very thick. Bring it to a boil. Delicious tasting carrot soup is ready. Serve it in a soup bowl with a swirl of fresh cream.

Variations:

We can make this soup without adding garlic. Potato is used here as a thickening agent. So instead of potato, we can use some corn flour paste to thicken the soup.

Tips:

1. Add enough pepper while cooking the carrots so that the soup absorbs all the spice.

Taste it & enjoy.